The Best Of Times
by belisom
Summary: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington, permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shape-shifter either. ...No Bella, or Edward-bashing. Follows storyline from "New Moon". Despite my attempts to write a believable Paul/OC fic, there's no way I can make this sound original, ever.
1. Chapter 1

Title: The Best Of Times: A Lifetime in a Day  
Chapter 1: Birthday Bitterness And Old Friends Make For A Long Day  
Rating: T, some language later on, not so much now.  
Disclaimer: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
Summary: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. Eventual Paul/OC. No Bella-bashing. Follows New Moon (mostly). _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._  
Notes: This isn't going to be a 'love-at-first-sight' fic because love doesn't exist, take it from me. Just kidding, the love and crap doesn't happen until _waaay_ later in the story if I play my cards right. That being said, if you're expecting a 'Paul sees OC and falls in love, OC sees Paul and falls in love, thinks he's super hot, and they have a bunch of shifter babies' this ain't it and I would poke around elsewhere...**Wellll**, the 'Paul sees OC and falls in love' might be pretty spot on, if my knowledge of imprinting is accurate. Shape-shifters fall and they fall _hard_.

BUT, if you want an _EXTREMELY_ slow burn, OC-insert story then I would read the first few chapters at least. I will mention that since this is a primarily OC-insert story, the chapters will focus mostly on the actual happenings of the film, the romance and junk will take a backseat.

I reiterate, no Bella bashing because, despite her seeming hatred towards her humanity, I like her. No vampire bashing either, that means no blatantly describing Edward as a stalker because...truthfully...I was all Team Edward when I was 13 and watched New Moon. This fic will take off where the film starts, so NOT following novel NM because I'm not about to dig that book up just to re-read it; I don't have time for all that.

If characters are OOC, just know that I don't care enough to nit-pick every single thing they do. I've already stated that there's no way I can make this sound original. If you have constructive criticism, it is very much welcome! And if you are itching to leave a negative comment, please do so but remember that no one will appreciate them as much as you apparently do.

And I leave you with these parting words: Grammar sucks.

* * *

"Happy birthday to you~" Ava sang loudly, knocking repeatedly on Bella's door with her elbow. Trying to balance a box and two cupcakes was definitely harder than she had anticipated. "Bella!" She called again, kicking lightly with the tip of her sneaker.

At this rate, both girls were both going to be late for class. "Come on! My hands are full, can you _please_ get up and open the door?"

"She still down?" Charlie came up from behind and eyed the shut door. Ava maneuvered the box as best she could to face him and lifted a shoulder halfheartedly.

Blowing her dark brown bangs out of her face in exasperation, she spoke, "I have no clue. Either she's out like a light, or the more plausible theory, she refuses to open the door for me."

"I got it," he muttered, giving the door a few more knocks and opening the door slowly, holding two presents in his hands. "Happy birthday."

He stepped inside and Ava followed, smiling widely before shooting her cousin a dry look. "Still in bed, I see."

"Isn't it my birthday?" Bella answered quickly, raising her eyebrows.

"Then I'll let this one slide," Ava replied, nudging her uncle forward for him to hand Bella his present. He took a few steps, clicking his tongue, and Bella frowned after noticing the boxes that they held. "I thought we agreed no presents."

Ava silently rolled her dark eyes behind Charlie as he responded, "well, the one from me s'not wrapped, so it doesn't count."

He handed her a digital camera with a small bow. Ava quickly took a large step to stand beside Charlie and leaned forward in anticipation. "I picked the color. _Pink_. Just like your bright, little personality."

"_Ha, ha_." Bella smiled slightly at her, toying with the camera in her hands before turning to her father. "That's actually great. Thanks, Dad."

He held out the next present. "Ah, it goes with this one from your mom. We coordinated...well, she coordinated me."

Ava sat down at the edge of her bed and stared at the bright yellow wrapping paper being torn away to reveal a scrapbook. "It's to put your pictures in from senior year," Charlie continued before heaving a sigh. "Senior year...how'd either of you get so old, so fast?"

"You're not going to start crying, are you?" Ava teased. She swiped her finger across the edge of the cupcake and licked it off, balancing the other on top of her gift.

"Your sympathy just warms me," Charlie drawled, crossing his arms across his chest. "It's just now you two are _old_. Time just flew by."

Ava was going to answer back when Bella suddenly shot her head up from the scrapbook. "I didn't." She frowned. "It's not that old."

Charlie leaned forward slightly, staring at Bella's hair. "I don't know...is that a gray hair?" He pointed at a few strands and Bella backed up. "No. No way." She quickly swung her legs around the side of her bed and stared into the mirror for a few seconds while Ava tried to contain her laughter. She sighed in relief and gave Charlie a dry look.

He held up his hands in defense and gave his daughter a small smile. "Happy birthday," he said before backing up to leave the room.

"That's really funny," Bella said sarcastically as Charlie fully exited. She flopped back onto her bed and held out her hand towards her remaining family in defeat. "Alright, let's end this. Hand it over."

"_Excuse_ you." Ava pressed the present against her thighs and raised an eyebrow. "You're not getting _any_thing until you sound a little more enthusiastic about receiving a gift."

"You want me to jump up and down?" She dropped her outstretched arm onto the duvet and followed it with her upper body, burying her face into the blankets. "Because I'm not doing that."

Lowering her head closer to Bella's ear, Ava answered, "maybe a nice, 'wow, Ava, you got me a super amazing present that you spent _actual_ time on _and_ a cupcake. Thank you for being the best _cousin_ slash _sister_ slash _present-giver_ ever'."

Bella replied, her voice muffled by the comforter, "you're going to have to repeat all that."

Ava grabbed a stray pillow by her feet and smacked the back of Bella's head. "You know what? I hope you get a ton of gray hairs this year. You're going to age an extra 30 years."

Bella lifted her head up and frowned. "That's just mean."

"Here." Ava finally held out the box in front of her face. Bella straightened up, putting the cupcake to the side and tearing at the paper.

Ava didn't really want to buy anything extravagant, knowing that Bella would just be upset, so she settled for something with a more personal touch. She'd never done any artsy thing for anyone but she figured if she were ever going to start, Bella would be a good place. It was a relatively simple task, an abstract painting seemed easy enough. All she had to buy was a canvas and a few tubes of paint and all was set.

"I used colors that reminded me of you."

"I see black, white...purple?" Bella asked, looking up questionably. Ava hummed, appreciating the meshed colors and traced the slightly raised canvas with her fingers. "That one was all me, sister. I love purple."

Bella gave a small laugh and stared at the canvas for a few more seconds. "Thank you," she said, looking up and Ava gave her a curt nod. "No problem. Don't ask for another one though. I'm pretty sure I permanently stained my bedroom floor."

With that being said, Ava stood up quickly and tossed the pillow still in her hand at Bella's head. "Now hurry up. It may be your birthday, but I don't think Mr. Berty will take that as an excuse to miss first period."

After bounding back into her room, she made a quick check of her backpack to make sure she had her supplies and notebooks in tow. Knowing Bella wouldn't take too long to get ready, Ava made her way downstairs to grab some breakfast; swinging the freezer door open, she audibly groaned. "Someone finished all the waffles," she mumbled to herself.

Making a quick glance around the kitchen, she grimaced after spotting a slightly brown banana. Ava remembered Bella mentioning that spotted bananas were supposedly healthier for one's digestive system.

_Or something_.

Not sure why this popped into her head, she grabbed it off the counter and peeled it. Staring out of the window in the kitchen into the thick forest, she spared a glance towards the sky even though she could already guess the outcome. The overcast clouds causing it to be perpetually gloomy.

Ava thought back to her first week here only a month ago, and how absolutely miserable it was. After moving from her hometown, she didn't really know what to do with herself. She didn't know anyone other than Bella, her uncle Charlie, a few of his friends, Jacob Black, and a few of _his _friends. Having to start a new school with all new people was absolutely terrifying to her, and the fact that Jake wasn't going to the same school just made Ava think things were going to be that much harder.

Bella introduced her to her group of friends, and they were friendly enough. Quite the group, Ava had noted, curious as to how they formed initially; she had chalked it up to it being a small town with slim pickings.

And then Bella introduced her boyfriend, Edward Cullen. He was nice. A little odd, but Ava knew plenty of awesome people who were slightly odd. _Bella being one of them_.

His family was also, almost painfully, polite. Not really Ava's crowd. But Bella seemed to like them very much, sitting with them every day during lunch.

But despite all this, she had settled into a nice routine. Ava went to school, did her work, hung out with Bella and Jacob and, every now and again, Edward by association. She even tolerated the spontaneous shopping trips that Jessica and Angela dragged her along on, knowing that Bella would just turn them down since she spent a good chunk of her time with Edward.

"Ready?" Ava was jolted out of thoughts as Bella swung her backpack on, giving her a strange look. "You okay?"

She finished off the banana and nodded. "Yeah," she muffled, speaking around her full mouth. Ava pointed to the front door as a silent direction to head out. Passing a random bush outside, she flung the banana out onto the open grass.

She heard Bella clear her throat and look at the peel, pointingly.

"What?" Ava laughed. "It's good for the environment. Biodegradable." She threw the passenger truck door open and climbed into the seat. "When are you going to let me drive her?"

"Right after never," Bella answered, starting her up and pulling backwards onto the road. "I'd let you drive _my_ car," Ava innocently said, fiddling with the seatbelt. Despite having her own vehicle, she still preferred the drive to and from school with Bella.

Ava spared a glance at her car that was sitting in the small driveway, relishing in it's clean exterior that she managed to obtain after an hour of scrubbing top to bottom. _Kind of pointless,_ she noticed, watching the large rain clouds cover the sky.

Somehow, Charlie managed to send it along with Ava when she moved to Forks. Imagine her surprise and utter elation when she woke up the day after her arrival and her car was sitting in the driveway; it felt like she still had a part of her old self. She could only guess how much it would cost to send a car but after looking it up, Ava closed it out quickly to preserve her sanity.

The rest of the ride was left in mostly silence like it usually was, other than the radio playing lowly.

'_Another missing hiker brings the total to three presumed dead. Rangers are searching for the killer animal-'_

Ava quickly switched the station. "That's depressing." She frowned. "And sad. Imagine disappearing out of nowhere." Shaking the thought from her head, Ava glanced at Bella staring at the road absentmindedly. She raised an eyebrow and poked her upper arm. "Did you even hear me?"

Bella snapped her head towards her and gave a small smile. "What? Sorry," Bella answered sheepishly. "I'm kind of out of it."

"Maybe it's your age," Ava teased. "You're losing it."

"Shut up."

Once they pulled into the school parking, Ava met the eyes of her group of friends standing in the parking lot next to Angela's car. "Aren't they usually inside by now?" Bella said quietly, shooting them a nervous look.

"Usually," Ava agreed. "Maybe they heard it's your birthday."

"Hmm." Bella tugged at her hair nervously. "Hopefully not." She quickly shifted attitudes and gave them a smile as she opened her door and approached the group.

Jessica pounced. "Today's the big day, girls." Bella immediately gave her a panicked look and Jessica stuck out her neck slightly to continue, "the R & J essay due?"

Bella looked at Ava in relief, not noticing her cousin's reaction, and smiled nonchalantly back towards the group. "Oh, yeah."

Mike held out an arm and in a poor Shakespearean accent, called out. "Wherefore Art thou, Bella? Ava?"

She must have looked sick because Angela waved her hand in front of Ava. "You okay?"

Snapping out of it, Ava shrugged despondently. "Yeah...I just forgot that we had that stupid thing due today." She scratched the back of her head. "It's sitting on my laptop in my room, yet to be printed out. I'm dead meat."

"Ava, seriously? I'm pretty sure it's, like, 90% of our grade." Jessica huffed, crossing her arms and giving her an exasperated look. "You're going to fail and watch us all graduate without you."

"Jess-" Mike tried placating her, before holding out an arm in suggestion. "I could give you a ride back to your house to get it." Ava shook her head quickly. "That's okay. I'll just...fail," she finished lamely. "Or convince Mr. Berty to give me an extension or something."

"If anyone is on Berty's good side, it's you," Eric pointed out. "Just say you had food poisoning. Or like, your _dog_ ate it. Hm?" He looked to Angela, his eyebrows raised at his suggestions.

"Or," Angela began, looking at Ava supportively. "You could be honest and say you'll turn it in tomorrow?"

"I'll see what I come up with," she sighed, already racking her brain for a good enough excuse to keep her average in the class.

Bella had her hands shoved in her jacket pockets before a moment of realization passed across her face. She slipped out her new camera and glanced at it. "Let me take a picture of you guys. My mom wants me to put together, like, a scrapbook full of memories." She shook her head lightly, as she spoke.

"Oh." "Cool, yeah." They answered back. "I take them. I'm not in them," Angela mumbled, trying to snake to the side but Eric quickly got a hold on her. "No, no, no. Come here."

Bella held up the camera. "Well, you are today."

Ava was fine with just watching, until Bella nudged her towards the group.

"You already took one of-" She managed to mumble lowly before Eric grabbed Ava's upper arm to move her in the middle of him and Mike.

Ava sighed and plastered a smile onto her face as both boys threw an arm around her shoulders.

"You'll photoshop this if my nose looks big, right?" Jessica asked, propping a hand on her hip and smiling. Ava could see Bella roll her eyes at the girl and she shot her a discreet wink. Jessica was a nice enough girl, just cared way too much about how other people saw her. Ava never really understood how Angela became friends with her, they were pretty much polar opposites.

"Don't worry, I'm in the picture. No one will be looking at you guys," Eric said before Bella lifted the camera.

"Say cheese," Ava said through her smile right before the camera went off.

"That's good." Bella smiled, looking down at the photo. Ava straightened herself up and saw a familiar Volvo pull into the parking lot. It seemed she wasn't the only one, as Mike let out a sigh. "Oh good. Cullen's here," he said sardonically; Ava slinked to Bella's side and Eric let out an unenthusiastic cheer.

"Well," Jessica said. "Talk to you guys later. See you in class."

"Yeah, bye." Ava waved as the group moved towards the entrance.

She usually stayed with Bella throughout the morning figuring that since she didn't sit with her at lunch, she'd just hang around until the first bell. It'd become a habit since Ava started here and she wasn't deterred by the company of any of the Cullens.

Turning with Bella to welcome her boyfriend, Ava immediately noticed the change in her. Her eyes brightened up and a smile graced her face. Bella wasn't one for smiling very much but she noticed that the minute that Edward was in the vicinity, there was very little that would dampen her mood.

He approached and stopped in front of Bella. "Happy birthday," he said immediately.

Bella shook her head, looking elsewhere. "Don't remind me."

Edward smiled at her and gave Ava a nod of acknowledgement. "Good morning, Belinda."

"Morning," she answered, rocking on her heels back and forth.

For some reason, Edward took to calling her by her middle name. She didn't mind; she liked it, but he was pretty much the only person who called her that regularly. Edward leaned closer to Bella; they didn't dive too deep in the PDA when she was around which she was grateful for, but today being Bella's birthday, she doubted they'd give her the courtesy.

"Bella, your birth is definitely something to celebrate," Edward replied, his attention fixated on her. Bella gave a small scoff and looked up at him through her lashes. "Yeah, but my aging's not."

Ava rolled her eyes at Bella's melodramatic answer. She'd been so weird about her birthday this year; normally she at least _placates_ the presents, cake, and birthday mentions but this year she seemed bitter. Ava just assumed it was her turning eighteen and being considered an adult.

Even Edward seemed to note her attitude. "Your _aging_?" He chuckled. "I think 18 is a little young to start worrying about that."

"I agree," Ava interrupted. Both their eyes darting to her and she took a step backwards towards the front of the school, sensing that they wanted to speak privately. "I'm going to head inside. Gonna try to convince Berty to extend the deadline by a day."

"Alright," Bella answered. "Maybe if you cry, he'll extend it?" She suggested with a straight face.

"Bella, your sense of humor never fails to amaze me. I'm not going to _cry_, I'm going to charm," Ava joked, taking a few steps backwards.

"Good luck with that," Edward chimed in, holding up a hand in good-bye. She gave him an unamused snort and they turned their attention back to each other. Just as Ava walked a ways out of earshot, she felt someone grab at her waist.

Letting out a gasp of surprise, she whirled to the side only to face Jacob. "Hey!" She smiled instantly, bumping him lightly with her fist. She glanced back at Bella to see that she was still talking to Edward, not paying anything any mind.

"Hey yourself! What happened to, 'I'll come by La Push, don't worry Jake'," he mimicked her, raising his voice a few octaves.

Ava shoved his shoulder with a warning look on her face. "Okay, _one_: I don't sound like that and _two_:" She shoved him again a little harder. "What happened to, 'I'll come hunt you down if you don't come see me'? Two-way street, my friend."

He raised his hands in surrender. "Alright tiger. Keep that up and I'll have to file for harassment."

"Then I'll just have to shut you up, won't I?"

"_You_? You're a wimp."

Ava scoffed and squeezed her biceps jokingly. "Shut up. I can handle myself."

He laughed, throwing his head back. "The fact that you genuinely believe that, scares me. You're not just a wimp, but _such_ a dork."

"Well you're friends with me, so what does that say about you?"

"My capabilities of choosing friends is low? Guess we'll have to stop talking to each other."

"Oh, I wonder how I'll survive," she said, wiping a mock tear before giving him a serious look. "_Easy_."

"You know, words like that." He tapped his chest. "They hurt me. Really."

"Jake, don't you have someone else to bother?" Ava suggested, jerking her thumb behind her. "Maybe wishing a certain Miss Swan a happy birthday. Charlie mentioned that he told Billy. And since you're concerned about all things Bella, I'm _sure_ he told you."

"She's making out with Cullen. I'd rather not get in the middle of...that." He shuddered dramatically, eliciting a laugh from Ava. "And I'm not concerned about all things _Bella_. I'm concerned about all things _friends, _you know. You're included in that too."

"So is _Edward_ included?" She teased. "You stare at him certainly enough."

"Ha, ha." Jacob rolled his eyes and frowned. "I just don't like 'em."

"Yeah, yeah." She waved him off. "You've _gotta_ get over your unwarranted hatred. He's not that bad a guy."

"Not just him, all the Cullens," Jacob corrected, before changing the subject. "But really, when are you heading over to see me. You know how far your house is from mine? Far. Like, _really_, really far. I can't keep up this one-sided friendship."

"Yet _somehow_ you managed to make it all the way here to wish Bella a happy birthday," Ava mentioned again, nonchalantly.

She knew that Jake had a little crush on Bella. Had for a while, if she was being honest. Bella had been the topic of conversation from time to time on quite numerous phone calls before Ava moved here. She never minded though, Jake was a great guy and Bella was actually pretty sweet when she wanted to be.

Growing up, Bella grew acquainted with Jake through her, but they never became as close as Ava was with them separately. Now that Ava lived in Forks, she noticed happily that they had become closer.

There was a time when Ava herself had harbored a small crush on the boy, back when she was 10 years old. She didn't know _where_ the hell her reaction came from, but from that moment to the day after her 13th birthday, she pined after him. At this point though, she didn't feel anything towards Jake other than a close friendship. If anything, he acted more like an annoying younger brother.

Ava's family would come to Forks nearly the entire summer as she grew up. Then, once she turned 10, they decided that year they wouldn't be traveling. She doesn't remember clearly why; it was either work or the timing not being right, but she begged them to let her visit even if it was for a small amount of time. After that, they sent her off to Forks for one week out of the summer, always falling into the same time Bella would be visiting her father.

"Hey, watch it. You shouldn't bully other people you know."

"I am not bullying. _I _am making an observation," Ava shot back and quickly checked her watch.

She had less than five minutes to get to class and beg for an extra day, glancing back she saw that Bella and Edward weren't..._attached_ anymore.

"Well, now's your chance," she suggested, brushing past him and shoving him in their direction. "I gotta split."

Jacob took the hint and took a few steps.

Ava turned on her heel, walking a few feet before Jacob called out. "Hey!"

Turning around, she slowed down and walked backwards carefully before he continued, "you have to come by and see me! Help me with the old Rabbit."

"If you want me near that car and something goes wrong, that's on you."

"I'll take my chances." He gave her a thumbs up and jogged towards the couple. Edward, noticing his impending arrival, turned away to leave Jacob and Bella to converse alone.

Ava turned around finally with no distractions and wondered, _what the hell was with those two?_

* * *

Favorite, Follow, and Review!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Ava:** I got the cake!

**Edward:** That says, Happy 18th Birthday Bailey.

**Ava:** Oh, shit, she's gonna be 19, isn't she?

**Edward:** Her name is Bella.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: The Best Of Times: A Lifetime in a Day  
Chapter 2: Is That A Wrench In Your Pocket Or Are You Just Happy To See Me?  
Rating: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
Disclaimer: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
Summary: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. Eventual Paul/OC. No Bella-bashing. Follows New Moon (mostly). _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

Notes: Thank you to everyone that has followed and favorited!

first full edit: 07/16/2019

second full edit: 08/13/2019

* * *

Once Ava finished speaking to Mr. Berty, she practically beamed with happiness and bounced to her seat. "Guess who convinced Mr. Berty to extend the deadline?" She whispered to Jessica and Angela.

Jessica's mouth dropped open in disbelief. "What? Are you serious?"

"Is who, serious?" Eric asked, coming up from the side and sliding into the seat next to Angela.

Jessica pouted. "Ava convinced Berty to extend the deadline." Turning back towards Ava, she frowned. "You are so lucky. If _I _could extend the deadline, I would've at least _tried_ to hit the word limit."

Ava sent her a sly grin. "I didn't even have to beg, he just said, 'it's fine, have it by 8:00 AM tomorrow.'"

"Maybe Mr. Berty likes you," Eric proposed lowly. "Like. _Like_, likes you."

"Ew, Eric! He's like 50," Jessica whispered, wrinkling her nose.

"_Maybe_, it's because I'm a good student," Ava suggested before adding pointedly, "unlike others."

"It was one paper." Eric whispered harshly to everyone. "I didn't do one freaking paper and he's hated me ever since."

"The party is here," Mike announced loudly, his fists in the air as he entered the classroom. He elicited a small glare from Mr. Berty who was setting up the TV for a movie.

"Mr. Newton, please refrain from yelling in my classroom. The hallway is free terrain."

Mike coughed awkwardly and lowered his arms, nodding. "Yeah, sorry Mr. Berty."

Making a quick beeline to where his friends were located, Jessica and Eric were laughing and Ava cracked a smile. "Nice going, _Mr. Newton_."

Bella and Edward walked in next a few seconds before the sound of the bell. Both sending Ava a smile and Bella, a small wave from her side. They sat behind the group in a world of their own.

Once class started, Mr. Berty began the movie.

"It's in black and white?" Jessica whispered loudly. "_Boring_."

Ava wasn't sure how much time had passed from the start of the movie, she just knew that she was exhausted. Looking around lazily, she noticed that Jessica and Angela were crying at the film. Ava laughed lightly and poked Eric who was sitting next to her. "Can you believe-" She cut herself off when he turned to face her, tears gathered in his eyes. "...Never mind."

After turning to her other side, she kicked Mike's desk leg when she saw that he was asleep. "He'll give you detention," Ava mumbled, audibly sighing. Watching this film was like watching paint dry; hearing the low whispers of the couple behind them, Ava could only hope that Mr. Berty was too engrossed in the film to notice.

"Now who'd like to repeat the last few lines of iambic pentameter just to show they were paying attention?" Mr. Berty said suddenly, looking at one particular student over her shoulder. "Mr. Cullen?"

"Yes, Mr. Berty," Edward said.

After few beats of silence, Edward recited it perfectly. Mr. Berty looked slightly embarrassed before replying with a weak, "eyes on the screen, people."

At that, everyone turned back around and Ava widened her eyes repeatedly to keep from falling asleep. Once class was over, she felt like a zombie. For some reason, that movie got to her and she struggled in the rest of her classes to stay awake.

The final bell jolted her out of her trance and Ava sent a quick prayer to whoever was listening for allowing her to survive another school day. She hurried to the front of the school to wait for Bella. In the midst of her hurry, she bumped into Alice Cullen who was flitting around as per usual.

"Ava! Ava Belinda!" She said happily, her hands grasping Ava's shoulders lightly.

Alice was the kindest Cullen sibling in Ava's opinion, she always had a smile on her face and her voice sounded almost melodic. "How are you? I didn't see you at lunch today."

Ava blinked a few times in surprise. "Oh, I had to head to the library. Some books to turn in and I ended spending all period in there," she said sheepishly, not mentioning that she had actually fallen asleep.

The pixie-haired girl laughed and took a step back. "_Well_, we're having a little get together tonight for Bella's birthday! Are you coming? Has Bella talked to you yet? You should come!" She fired off.

"She hasn't really had a chance, but I'll see if I can make it," Ava smiled politely. In actuality, the chances of going weren't high. As much as the Cullens were mostly very kind and welcoming, they always seemed to hold everyone at an arm's length, save for Bella.

"We'd love to have you," she continued, before looking over Ava's shoulder and waving someone over. Turning around, it was Jasper who quickly passed and stood stiffly next to Alice.

"Hello Ava," he said with a polite nod of his head. Ava never paid too much mind to Jasper; he was always with Alice and seemed tired and indifferent towards everyone, never getting too close to strike up a conversation.

"Hey Jasper," Ava answered back before taking a small step backwards. "I should get going. Bella is probably waiting for me."

Alice smiled brightly once more before waving and adding, "please think about joining us!"

With a smile of her own and a wave, she turned on her heel and pushed the doors open, the crisp air hitting her face. Bella was leaning against the truck and Edward was standing in front of her.

Reaching the couple, Ava sniffled once to get their attention. "Ready?" Bella asked, reaching into her pocket to grab the keys.

Edward gave a small pointed cough and Bella's face contorted slightly. "They're, uh, throwing me a...party," she said finally, looking at her cousin.

Edward chuckled softly before addressing Ava directly, "yes. We are going to have a small gathering for Bella's birthday tonight and we would all like it if you joined us."

"Oh, Alice actually just mentioned it," Ava said, glancing at Bella who was looking progressively more uncomfortable.

"I don't want a party. I don't even want a _birthday_," Bella said, her eyes darting around. "I don't know why everyone is making a huge deal about it."

"Birthdays are about having fun Bella," Ava pointed out. "You should enjoy it."

"You don't even like your birthday." Bella snapped, crossing her arms. "Why do I have to?"

A frown immediately fell onto Ava's face and she furrowed her eyebrows. "...Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she mumbled. "Tired, I guess."

Edward raked a hand through his hair and sent Ava a helpless look before bidding both girls good-bye, insisting again that Ava join them later that night.

The ride home was filled with silence but not the normal, comfortable kind that it usually was; this was tense and almost lethargic.

It wasn't until Ava finally broke it a few minutes away from the house. "..._So_, what's up with you?"

"I just don't like today."

"...Okay." Ava said cautiously; she could work with that. "_Why_ exactly? You usually _tolerate _it, contrary to your limited facial expressions," she teased lightly, testing the waters.

Bella smiled despite herself and sighed. "I know...I guess it's just turning 18. Being an adult and all."

"Makes sense. I mean, I'm sure when _I_ turn 18, I'll have a crisis much like the one you're having."

Bella scoffed lightly. "You still have two years, Ave. I don't think you have to worry."

"Actually, one year and nine months," Ava corrected. "I've been dreading it since I turned 16."

"And you say _I'm_ dramatic." Before Bella continued, she glanced at Ava nervously through the corner of her eyes. "But there _is _a birthday thing at the Cullens," she said slowly. "So if you want to go, it might be fun? They all like you so…" she drifted off.

"I dunno." Ava stared out of the window, the trees and brush whizzing past. "They're nice, but I might stop by Jacob's. Boy has been _begging_ me to hang out," she dramatically claimed.

Bella gave a small laugh just as she pulled into the driveway. "You could always go with me to the Cullens tonight and I can go with you to Jacob's tomorrow?"

Ava mock gasped. "After that little scene you pulled in the parking lot? If I recall, you asked me why the _**hell **_you should enjoy your birthday when I don't even like mine. I don't think I can show my face after that kind of embarrassment."

"I did _not_ say hell," Bella defended, shutting the truck off and grabbing her bag.

"But you _did_ say I didn't enjoy my birthday," she sang, grabbing her bag and slinking out of the truck quickly.

"Because you don't!" Her voice muffled through the shut door.

Ava waved behind her back and unlocked the front door of the house, leaving it open for Bella. Charlie wasn't home yet and probably wouldn't be for another few hours. Bouncing up the stairs, she threw her bag onto her bed and sat down, heaving a sigh. Flopping backwards, she thought back to what exactly she was going to do tonight.

_Go to the Cullens'?  
__Go to Jacob's?_

**A few seconds passed.**

_Bella's birthday?  
__Jacob's garage?_

**A few more.**

_Evening of polite conversation?  
__Potentially ruining Jacob's progress on the Rabbit?_

The choice was pretty simple when it came down to it.

* * *

"You passed me the wrong one again," Jacob called from underneath the car. He slid out slightly to wave the offensive tool around; Ava snatched the metal from his hands and cocked her hip annoyed. "Then which one is it? You keep saying it's the wrong one but won't tell me which it is."

"Because _even_ if I told you, you wouldn't know which one."

She blew air out of her mouth annoyingly, freeing up a few strands to fly around her face. "But you won't even describe them. You expect me to know all the contents of your freaking toolbox."

Jacob finally slid all the way out from underneath and sat up. "Time for a crash course, my friend."

"I doubt I'll need this in the immediate future, but thanks anyway." Ava sat down on the bench next to the car and rested her elbows on her knees.

Jacob clinked around his toolbox before pulling something out and waved it teasingly in front of her face. "_This _is what I wanted."

Ava stuck her tongue out. "Then maybe you should get a better helper." She leaned backwards onto the wooden wall of Jake's garage before suggesting, "I bet Embry or Quil would help if you offered them free rides once this thing is done."

"The day I cart _either_ of those fools around will be the day hell freezes over," Jacob muttered before setting his back down onto the old creeper and rolling back underneath. "Why aren't you with Bella, though?"

"She's going to the Cullens. They're throwing her a party."

"And they didn't invite you?" He mocked, his voice echoing from under the car. After rolling her eyes, Ava replied, "they _did_, actually. I just figured my time would be wisely spent here. Handing you the wrong tools and such."

Just as Jacob was going to retort, one of the topics of the past conversation shoved open the doors of the garage. "Yo, Jake!"

Embry noticed Ava immediately and rounded. "Hel-_lo_, I was not expecting to see you around here." He closed in and ruffled her hair. "Thought only Jake was making the house calls."

Ava smacked his hand away and smoothed the top of her head before speaking, "I just couldn't go another day without hearing your voice, Embry. It was making me sick," she finished dramatically.

"And she _brought_ the jokes."

With a wink, she replied, "never leave home without it."

"What's up, dude?" Jake asked, rolling back out from under the car. "Thought you were hanging with Quil."

"Bailed." He sat down next to Ava on the bench and heaved a dramatic sigh. "_Much_ like you did."

Jake motioned once towards the hunk of unfinished metal as an explanation.

"Instead," Embry continued, shouldering his companion lightly. "You're in your garage talking to your girlfriend's cousin."

Ava held back a laugh at Jacob immediately trying to defend himself against his best friend. She had known Embry for a while, being twelve when they were first introduced. At that point, Jake, Quil, and Embry had been best friends for a few years and Jake figured that instead of constantly ditching them when Ava was visiting, he'd just lump the lot together. She got along great with them, the group's personalities meshed well from the beginning and a playful attitude was always whirling around them.

Ava had spaced out for a minute or two at the most and in that short amount of time Jake had shoved Embry, the two engaging in a scuffle.

"Take that back!" Jake frowned and Embry's laugh was his only answer.

Embry tried grabbing Jake's neck to pull him into a headlock, but at the rate it was going they were both going to be wrestling on the floor. Ava playfully rolled her eyes at their antics and stood up from the workbench, grabbing her bag from the dusty floor and moving around the pile of boy.

"I'm gonna head out," she called, immediately gaining their attention. Embry shoved him off and Jake immediately protested, "no way! Just stay a little while longer, dad hasn't seen you yet."

"Run, Ava!" Embry laughed, yanking Jake's arm back. "I'll hold him off!"

"Emb-argh!"

Embry somehow managed to yank Jake's arm once more and that caused Jake to fall backwards onto the floor. He quickly grabbed Embry's ankle and shoved him, toppling him over to join him as well.

"Bye guys." Ava laughed. "See you next time." She only managed to take a few steps before she heard protests from both boys this time.

"Wait-_ow_! Speaking of that!" Embry cried out, standing up and offering Jake a hand. Ava stopped once again and watched them dust off their jeans before he spoke again, "tribe's having a bonfire next week."

A look of realization swept past Jacob's face and he continued the invitation, "oh shit, I forgot about that. Next week. You coming or coming?"

"Next week?" Ava thought aloud and racked her mind for anything she might have going on. After a second, she continued, "...I don't know, I wouldn't want to just...show up." She shrugged, giving them a nervous laugh.

Jake rolled his eyes. "Are you kidding? You've been hanging around long enough."

"Yeah, but I only really know you and you." Ava pointed to Jake and Embry. "...and Quil. And, like, a few others..."

"A few others! That's progress," Jake tried before Ava gave him a dry look. He sucked in air through his teeth and turned to Embry for backup. "Uh, well...then...maybe it's time you actually meet everyone else. They know you. "

"_Of_ me," Ava corrected, crossing her arms in defense. "I don't think I've ever had an actual conversation with any of them."

"You know Leah. And Seth. _And_ their parents," Jake insisted.

"I'm not _friends_ with Leah or Seth. It'll be weird, I haven't gone in years. And aren't they _super top secret_."

Since Ava only spent a small amount of time in Forks growing up, the odds of there being a bonfire or get together while she was present were slim.

"It's not like an _official_ bonfire. Those are sacred and only a few get invited. This is more of a...get together? You know, tribe..._friends_ of the tribe." Embry raised his eyebrows enticingly. "It'll be fun. _And_ there'll be stories! You used to love those, come on, you'd beg us to tell you them all the time."

Jake nodded quickly and pointed at him in support. "_That_ is true. You were, and continue to be, a tribal story junkie."

Ava heaved a big sigh and opened her mouth to respond, nothing coming out. She looked at the pair staring at her expectantly before she groaned. "Fine."

Jake and Embry raised their hands in celebration and high-fived each other. "_If _I can make it. Maybe I'll convince Bella to come along," Ava teased lightly, backing out into the yard. From inside she heard an '_oooohhh_' from Embry and an impending argument/wrestling match brewing.

The ride home was filled with soft music playing and Ava's fingers tapping on the steering wheel to the beat. Pulling nearer and nearer to the house, she figured Bella still wasn't home from the party. At least if Alice had anything to do with it. She was definitely surprised when she saw the red pickup sitting in front of the house.

Pulling into the driveway, she shut her car off and grabbed her bag to head inside. Charlie's cruiser was nestled beside her, and Ava hoped he had managed to survive an evening without her or Bella and hadn't starved. Pushing the front door open and popping her head into the kitchen, Charlie was hunched over a few files scattered around.

"Working hard or hardly working?" Ava asked, leaning over to take a peek at the file he was staring at.

Charlie, already anticipating her actions, flipped the paper over. "Nuh-uh. You go and..." He motioned towards the stairs. "_Talk_. You know, birthday parties and car parts...or...whatever it is teenage girls talk about."

She pursed her lips and straightened up, tossing her keys on the counter loudly. "Fine. We'll go talk about birthday parties and car parts." Ava mimicked, walking backwards towards the stairs and taking a few steps up slowly before adding, "_all night long_. Leaving you with _no _sleep tomorrow."

"Ava," he warned, his voice wafting up the stairs. She quickly ran up and knocked twice on Bella's door before opening it, announcing her arrival. "I'm here!" She flopped onto Bella's bed immediately and pushed herself under the covers.

"I can see that," Bella mumbled. "Your voice is loud."

"Are you saying I'm annoying?" Ava pouted, her eyes were shut and grabbing the pillow behind her, Ava blindly threw it in her direction.

"Watch it," Bella voiced. "You're going to break something."

"Oh Bella," Ava sighed contently, _her bed is definitely more comfortable than mine._ "Such drama."

She opened her eyes and felt them nearly pop out of her head in shock. "What the hell happened to you?! What happened to your arm?" As she was speaking, she jumped out of bed and kneeled next to Bella's desk, pulling her wrist gently towards her to inspect her upper arm.

"It's nothing," Bella mumbled, trying to pull her arm back. "And don't yell so loud, dad'll hear you."

"Jeez, did you fall or something?" Ava frowned, standing up and leaning over her printer off to the side. She knew Bella wasn't the most coordinated person, so her falling and scraping her arm wasn't so out of the blue.

"Kinda. I...fell...I hit a table," she said after a beat, gently rubbing at the bandage. "But it looks worse than it is. It's basically a scrape but Carlisle wouldn't let me leave without this...cast."

Ava lifted an eyebrow lightly at her response. "...Are you sure you're good?" She asked, eyeing the bandage.

Something was definitely off; Bella was acting weird and evasive. If she had actually fallen, she would've just admitted it instead of taking nearly a minute to reply. And why would Bella care so much about Charlie hearing? He was already used to her clumsiness, they all were.

"Yeah, I'm good. Promise," she replied and returned to her work. She was looking over her scrapbook, running her hand over the blank page. Knowing that the conversation about the bandage was over, Ava changed the subject. "What are you doing anyway?"

Bella looked up and showed her the picture she was holding in her free hand. It was a photo of her and Edward, evidently taken today since she was wearing the dress that she left in.

"Cute," she smiled. Bella nodded and immediately folded it in half, cutting herself out.

Ava inclined her head in playful confusion. "You know I could be wrong, but I think the whole point of that picture was to have _you_ in it. Why're you cropping yourself off."

She looked a little uneasy at the question and shrugged, tracing her finger along the edge of the fold. "I don't know. I just...want to remember everything, I guess. After tonight, Edward was acting weird. I don't really know."

"Weird," Ava repeated. "_Liiike_, how?"

"Like...I dunno." she bit her lip. "Like something is going to happen."

"A breakup?" Ava voiced without thinking; Bella's head shot up and she gave her a worried look. "Is that what that means? Do you think he's going to break up with me?"

Ava backtracked immediately. "No, no. It can mean a lot of things, just a thought. But it's probably not going to happen, Edward is basically obsessed with you. You'll be fine." She rambled quickly, trying to alleviate the situation.

Bella's shoulders relaxed and she turned back to the scrapbook, taping the photo inside silently. "You're right." She nodded, almost trying to convince herself. "You're right."

After a few minutes of silence, Ava straightened up and strode towards her door. "Get some sleep, Bells." She stepped out and poked her head back in after a few seconds. "...And _happy birthday_. It's 9:54, so _still_ your birthday."

Bella gave her a half-hearted smile and got up, grabbing the door handle. "Thank youuu," she said as she shut the door gently, Ava's protests falling on deaf ears.

* * *

Favorite, Follow and Review!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Ava:** Charlie has a folder on his computer called 'cool dad'. It's just pictures of himself.

.+.

**Bella:** My birthday blows. Nobody even signed my birthday poster.


	3. Chapter 3

Title: The Best Of Times: A Lifetime in a Day  
Chapter 3: Possible Murderers And A Strange Shirtless Guy Carrying An Unconscious Girl Through A Forest  
Rating: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
Disclaimer: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
Summary: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. Eventual Paul/OC. No Bella-bashing. Follows New Moon (mostly). _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

Notes: Thank you to everyone who has favorited and followed!

first full edit: 07/16/2019

second full edit: 08/14/2019

* * *

Edward didn't show up the next day. Neither did the rest of his family.

The day passed on as normal and soon enough, Ava and Bella were driving back home. Bella had been quiet today, even more so than usual. She sat alone in most classes since Edward always sat with her, and during lunch she continuously looked over her shoulder with a confused, almost pained expression on her face to stare at the Cullen's empty table.

"Want to head to Jacob's today? You said, you would," Ava suggested.

"Don't think so. Not today at least," she answered, biting her bottom lip. Ava blew out a loud gush of air from her nose and tried another tactic. "Jake mentioned a bonfire next week?" She started off again. "Sounds like fun."

She didn't answer and Ava continued, "you can finally meet Embry and Quil. They want to meet you."

"I don't know. Maybe," she said vaguely, pulling into the driveway behind Ava's car. Ava gave up in her attempts and snatched her bag from the floor. "Well, let me know," she said simply, shutting the door.

It seemed like Bella was acting weirder and weirder with every passing hour and Ava had no idea why. Something to do with Edward's absence, if she had to guess. She didn't like it in the least, and it seriously worried her how his presence could change her mood.

Passing the front of the truck, Ava noticed the man of the hour himself standing in the yard. "Um, Bel-" she said, turning to the side but Bella was already beginning to move in his direction.

"I'll be inside," Ava whispered when Bella passed, and Bella gave her a small smile with a nod before continuing.

Ava, in an attempt to be a supportive cousin, nothing more, practically ran up the stairs in record time. Throwing her backpack onto her bed, she slid across the floor into Charlie's room to peek out the window.

Not spying, per se. At least not in her opinion. _I can't hear anything, so it doesn't even count,_ she defended her actions and gently moved the curtains to the side.

She saw that they _definitely_ weren't their usual selves. In the past, practically having to pry Bella off the guy; he seemed withdrawn and cold, not even offering a smile. He took a few steps towards the thick brush and motioned slightly with his head, Bella following him into the trees. Ava frowned, not liking the situation at all.

Not that Bella was going into the forest with him, but the whole dynamic between the two made her think that nothing good was going to come out of this.

Sighing, she trudged back into her room, grabbing her phone and planning to just scroll through and hopefully find something to do. Eventually, she resigned herself to finish some homework that was due in the upcoming days and after an hour and a half or so, Ava could feel her eyes beginning to burn. She shut them for a second, placing her phone next to her and laying an arm across the desk, thinking she'd take a quick power nap.

She must have dozed off at some point because when she opened her eyes, the sun was shining through the window signaling the sunset. Ava blinked groggily and sat up, stretching her arms above her head. She stepped out of her room and saw that nothing had changed in the house.

The door to Charlie's room was still open and the curtains were still moved to the side. Bella's door was closed, which was probably the biggest red flag. When Bella gets home, she usually leaves it open; it's only when she's getting ready for bed when she fully shuts it.

Ava furrowed her brow and made her way down the stairs; nothing looked out of place, and with a glance she saw that the truck was still parked in the same place that it was before. Even Bella's bag was peeking above the dashboard on the seat, completely unmoved.

_What if she was kidnapped,_ Ava thought to herself, _or what if-_ She was cut off as a loud bang was heard from the side of the house.

Her mind was immediately racing with a hundred possible scenarios. _Murderer, rapist, burglar, psychopath hell bent on getting revenge in the name of his disgraced family?_ Ava knew the last one probably wasn't it, and she was about 90% sure it was a movie she saw with Bella.

_Maybe Charlie was home?_ She thought, throwing a desperate look again through the window, _damn, his car is still gone._

Inching towards the side door slowly, she accidentally bumped into the side table causing it to make a swift jarring noise as it moved across the hardwood. Ava quickly caught the vase that toppled over and clutched it to her chest protectively.

_Maybe...someone...else...took his car? Charlie's probably home._

_No, dumbass, quit being a baby._

She was trying desperately to justify the noise to avoid investigating.

_What harm would it be to just check it out? ...What if it __**was**_ _an intruder or something? _Her train of overthinking was interrupted when another bang was heard.

With a deep breath, Ava strode over quickly, readying the vase to knock someone out. Or at least try her hardest to. The fake flowers that were sticking out of the vase were tickling the side of her face and she thought back to when she gifted the flowers to Charlie as a joke; he was physically incapable of keeping any sort of plants alive and, at the time, she thought it was hilarious. _Now I'm going to die with them. _

_This better not be a stupid cat_, Ava thought before stopping, _but if it's not a cat, then it's a person. A possible killer._

After a few seconds she advanced again, _**please** be a cat._

Ava peered through the window, much like she had done earlier, only this time she was armed. And she wasn't spying on Bella and her boyfriend.

Her heart was beating quickly, and after not seeing anyone for a minute or so, she was sure it was just a cat...or raccoon. Ava let out a breath that she had been holding and quickly opened the door, trying to shake the tingle out of her hands and feet. "Jeez." She sighed out loud in relief into the _empty_ yard. "Thought I was going to die."

She turned around swiftly to head back into the house. And smacked right into someone's chest.

Ava felt her heart drop; letting out a surprised gasp, she immediately backed up and held her hands out in defense against the attacker. By the time her brain had registered that there was no danger, she managed to drop the vase and trip over the first concrete step that led onto the lawn, falling onto her backside.

"Argh" she groaned loudly in annoyance and balled up her hands into fists from the grass. "Jacob! What the hell?!" Ava could feel the water that coated the lawn from the rain soak into her jeans and mixed with the dirt, she knew it was going to be a pain to get out.

"What the-are you okay?" He asked as he took a few steps down, holding out his hands in an attempt to help. From the ground she could see that he was fighting in vain to keep the laughter from escaping.

"What are you doing here?" Ava nearly shouted, ignoring his outstretched hands and heaving herself up. She pressed a shaking hand against her chest and glared at him. "You damn near freaking killed me."

"Charlie asked me to check something out in the garage," he answered, crossing his arms over his chest. The initial shock of seeing him had wore off and was replaced with sheer annoyance.

"Okay," she deadpanned, trying to wipe the back of her jeans free of stray grass blades. "Why are you inside my house."

"I got hungry." He shrugged. "Charlie doesn't mind. And I thought I heard something. You know, you should _really_ lock your door."

Ava pushed past him and stepped into the house, carefully stepping over the broken vase and walking into the bathroom nearby. "You _did_ hear something." Slipping off her now wet socks and throwing them into the hamper. "It was _me_, genius."

"Shouldn't you be fixing up your car or something," Ava continued, whirling out of the bathroom to walk deeper into the house. "And you're cleaning up the mess you made."

"You should be thanking me!" He said indignantly, his loud footsteps echoing behind. "What if it was a murderer? I just saved your life and you're mad."

"Hm." She shot him an unamused look over her shoulder. "Thank you, Jake. Really appreciate this."

"Enough about that." He brushed past the girl quickly and made a beeline to the kitchen. "I think I deserve a snack."

Ava plopped down onto the breakfast table and rested her chin on her hand. "Well, let me know if you find any. The food in this house is scarce. I'm thinking cannibalism, pretty soon."

"Blegh." He stuck his tongue out, still searching through the cupboards. Eventually he settled on a bowl of cereal. Or multiple bowls.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but by the time she looked outside the window it was dark. She glanced at the clock hanging above the doorway and saw that it was already nearing 9:00 PM.

"Where's Bella?" Jacob finally asked, noticing the absent brunette. He had just finished clearing out the broken vase and was dropping the contents of the dustpan into the trash bin.

"Probably with Edward," Ava answered, playing with her necklace. He dropped back down onto the chair and made another bowl of cereal, pointing at her with the spoon. "You're doing your nervous thing."

She quickly let go of her necklace and furrowed her brow. "I don't have a _nervous_ _thing_...I'm just not 100% on where she is. She left a while ago with Edward." Ava ignored the grimace that Jacob threw her way. "And she still isn't back...the truck is _still_ here. Edward's car _wasn't_ here. And they walked into the freaking forest never to be seen again, Jake," Ava said in one breath, the nerves beginning to set in.

"I'm sure she's fine."

"I don't know. The whole vibe was off," she muttered, her mind going into overtime again. She snapped her head up and held out a hand. "Give me your phone."

Jacob, being the true 'no-questions-asked' friend, pulled his phone out of his back pocket and handed it to her.

Ava dialed Charlie and he picked up after a few rings. "Charlie!" She said breathlessly into the phone, ignoring his confused voice on the other end. "Have you talked to Bella?"

"No. Isn't she home?"

"She went off with Edward once we got home from school. He was already here." She bit her lip and darted her eyes around the kitchen, hoping Bella would pop out. Ava couldn't explain the sudden feeling of something being very wrong.

_Dread_, was the more accurate word.

She spoke to Charlie a bit more and after hearing her progressively frantic voice, he agreed to come home. "It'll be fine. She's probably still with Edward, or at the Cullens'. Jacob still there? Just stick with him till I get home."

It took thirty minutes for Charlie to get home.

And two hours passing for him to admit that something was, in fact, _very_ wrong.

* * *

Ava slunk back outside as quietly as she could with the creaks that the front door made. Charlie had ordered her back inside three times and she wasn't aiming for a fourth. She wanted to help in some way but he insisted that knowing that she was inside instead of out looking for Bella would give him some peace of mind.

She caught Jake's eye and held up a finger to her mouth as a silent plea. Jake rolled his eyes but zipped his mouth nonetheless.

Smiling widely, she was about to hop down the stairs to see what she could do when Charlie's voice rang, "_Ava_."

"I won't do anything!" Ava insisted immediately whirling around and facing Charlie, her eyebrows gathered in frustration. "I won't get in the way, I'll just stand here."

Her plea lingered for a moment, and he raked his hand through his hair exasperatedly.

"...Fine. But don't even _think_ about going anywhere. You stay in the house or by me, got it?" Ava could see that he was tired of having to corral her every ten minutes and he wanted to be completely invested in finding wherever the hell Bella was.

She nodded quickly and ran to his side.

He was mumbling to himself, examining a map and taking out his phone. "I'm gonna try the Cullens place again."

"I've already tried a hundred times," Ava quietly reminded him, taking a step backwards to stand beside Jake before Billy chimed in, "the Cullens left town Charlie."

Harry Clearwater, who was standing on his other side, scoffed, his eyes never leaving the map in front of him. "Good riddance."

"What?" Ava asked, stunned.

"Where'd they go?" Charlie frowned.

Harry, sensing the growing panic, placed a hand on Charlie's shoulder and tried giving his best friend's niece a comforting smile. "We'll find her."

"Thanks, Harry," Charlie replied, the worry still eating at him.

Ava felt Jacob shift beside her and she followed his gaze. Her eyes widened and she immediately tried to move forward, her body working faster than her mind. Jake grabbed Ava's elbow, his eyes not breaking away from the man walking towards the group. "Charlie!" Jake called.

Charlie turned around and upon recognizing Bella as the body that was being carried, he bolted to to her side. Ava shook off Jacob's grip and followed suit, tears pricking at her eyes. Relief washed over her as she realized that Bella wasn't dead, being her biggest fear that was gnawing in the back of her mind.

"She's alright," the man assured. Ava spared him a glance and, despite all that was going on, she wondered why this guy wasn't wearing a shirt and what the hell he was doing in a forest at midnight.

Charlie quickly wrapped his arms around Bella. "I got her. Thank you, Sam." Ava tried to think back if she'd met him before, even in passing, but she couldn't recall. Sam finally looked at her, not paying much mind before looking past at Jacob.

Ava followed closely with Charlie, keeping a tight hold on Bella's jacket almost expecting her to disappear again.

* * *

Favorite, Follow, and Review

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Charlie:** You were hurt. Do you remember anything?  
**Bella:** Just the ambulance ride over.  
**Jacob:** That wasn't an ambulance, Sam was carrying you.  
**Bella:** Then why did I hear sirens?  
**Ava:** Sorry, I got nervous.

.+.

**Charlie:** FOUR MONTHS.  
**Bella:** What's he talking about?  
**Ava:** It's really not that big of a deal-  
**Charlie:** THAT'S HOW LONG YOU STOOD BY AND WATCHED ME WATER A FAKE PLANT.

.+.

**Charlie:** I don't want you getting involved in police business anymore! If something happens, report it, and leave it to us.  
**Ava:** Fine.  
**Ava:** When should I hand in my badge and gun?  
**Charlie:** WHEN DID YOU GET A BADGE AND GUN?!


	4. Chapter 4

Title: The Best Of Times: A Lifetime in a Day  
Chapter 4: Seasons Of Love And That Damn Second Story Window  
Rating: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know after me.  
Disclaimer: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
Summary: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. Eventual Paul/OC. No Bella-bashing. Follows New Moon (mostly). _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

Notes: Heads up, I decided to split up the months following Bella's rescue (is that the right word? lol) from the other chapters. Makes it neater, in my opinion, and I'm a stickler for neatness. That being SAID, the next chapter will be uploaded mañana since this one is so short. And thank you to whoever has reviewed! I'd mention your usernames but you're on guest, but nonetheless, I thank you.

first full edit: 07/16/2019

second full edit: 08/14/2019

* * *

**October.**

Ava pressed her ear against the door, straining to pick up any sort of noise. It seemed like she was doing a lot of this lately.

Ever since Bella was found by Sam, she had completely folded within herself. She'd never been the type of person to express herself with a lot of emotion, but this was a new extreme. She stayed in the same position every day; the same chair, staring outside into the thick forest that she had been found in only weeks earlier.

Ava tried her best to ease her outside. Even just outside the room, but Bella wasn't giving an inch. If Ava was lucky, she'd get an empty fleeting glance.

Billy Black was right. The Cullens left. It seemed from one day to the next, they were wiped from the town and there was absolutely no trace of them. In a last ditch attempt to help Bella, Ava had even gone to their old house, hoping that Edward would be there. Maybe gathering some last boxes that they had left behind, and he could at least talk to Bella to no avail.

Seeing Bella this way upset her. More than she could even describe. Bella was her best friend, _her sister_, and seeing her so broken and beaten down was upsetting beyond comprehension. And the fact that even _she_ couldn't get through to her, had her bewildered and angry.

Once Halloween neared, Ava managed to coax her into watching a scary movie...and by _coax_, she meant she set up the DVD player in front of Bella. As the movie played, the pair were only interrupted with children knocking on the door to ask for candy.

Every time they did, Ava would pause the movie, grab the candy bowl, and answer the door; once she got back inside, she recounted the costumes the kids were dressed in. A witch, a clown (shudder), a ladybug, another witch, a few teenagers that weren't actually dressed as anything but insisted on a handful of candy, a princess, a mushroom funnily enough, a vampire...Ava stopped talking as Bella shifted when she named the last one.

Ava thought she had imagined it at first, Bella hadn't moved a single muscle from what she saw these past weeks. Giving in to the assumption that she _had_ moved, Ava was glad for the slight.

She smiled a little wider. "...And that was just this round," she finished, playing the movie. "Hopefully no more clowns."

* * *

**November**

She raked another huge pile together, pausing to breath in the crisp air.

"Don't make me do all the work," Charlie joked, moving his rake back and forth gathering a pile of fallen autumn leaves. "This is a two man job."

She cast a side glance at the Second Story Window. "Or three man," she muttered, stepping on a damp leaf with her boot. No matter what Ava had tried, nothing was working and she couldn't get through to Bella.

It seemed like failed attempt after failed attempt just made her bitter towards the situation.

Towards Edward.

Towards Bella.

Towards Charlie.

Even towards herself for not being able to do more. Day after day, she slowly stopped asking Bella to go out anywhere, and left the physical interactions almost to a minimum.

But that didn't mean she stopped everything altogether. Ava would sit outside the door and wait for her to get up. Even staying there throughout a chunk at night, hoping to catch her using the restroom.

That's what she was reduced to; waiting for Bella to use the restroom just to make sure she was getting off that damn chair.

"Come on, kid." Charlie sighed, leaning against his rake lightly. "Can't give up now."

"I know." Ava frowned. "Time, I guess."

"Time," he echoed, nodding his head once in the direction of the window. "Just takes time."

* * *

**December**

Ava's attitude towards Bella rejuvenated as December rolled around.

Her eyes widened against the Second Story Window, her breath fogging up the cold glass. She smiled to herself and drew a snowman.

"Bella~" Ava sang, tapping at the glass. "Snow~! Which means snow_men_."

She didn't think Bella would insist that the two of them build snowmen all day and for once, Ava didn't feel the pang of disappointment in her chest. Snow was one of her favorite things. Despite the cold fingers and wet socks one got from spending an afternoon outside, she loved it.

"Hey, remember that _one_ year we were both here during the winter? And we made Jake into a snowman?" Ava giggled at the thought of Jake with a bright red nose and his teeth clattering loudly. "His dad was so mad when he found him buried."

"You know, I bet I can make a life-size snowman," Ava continued, thinking aloud. "Or...snowwoman, I suppose."

These days, Ava didn't wait for any sort of reply from Bella, not even a sign of acknowledgment that she was in the same vicinity as her.

Ava bid her a good-bye and a command to watch her through the window. She positioned herself in the perfect place that Bella could see and began the project. Building three snowmen may not seem like a hard thing but considering it was just her and mountains and mountains of snow to work with, the difficulty level was raised substantially.

When Ava finished, she took a few steps back to admire the handiwork and laughed at Charlie's pebble mustache. She looked up at the Second Story Window and Bella was staring blankly, almost straight through her.

She waved and pointed at the snowmen watching Bella's gaze move lazily towards them. Ava swore she saw at least a tug of a smile cross her lips.

_So_ worth a runny nose and soggy socks.

* * *

Favorite, Follow, and Review

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Bella:** I'm sad today.  
**Charlie, breakdancing softly:** What's wrong, my daughter.

.+.

**Ava:** Are you okay?  
**Bella, lying in the middle of the road:** I'm having me time.

.+.

**Ava:** Heartbroken? Isn't that just a fancy word for feeling 'bummed out'?  
**Bella, standing on the roof:** Ava, you ignorant slut.

.+.

**Bella:** I can't believe you read my diary.  
**Ava:** To be fair, I didn't think it was your diary.  
**Ava:** I thought it was just a very sad, handwritten book.


	5. Chapter 5

Title: The Best Of Times: A Lifetime in a Day  
Chapter 5: The Living Dead Is Actually Alive And Motorcycle Mishaps  
Rating: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
Disclaimer: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
Summary: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. Eventual Paul/OC. No Bella-bashing. Follows New Moon (mostly). _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

Notes: Thank you to **Kagz419**! I'm so glad you're enjoying the story, and hopefully you continue to do so!

first full edit: 07/16/2019

second full edit: 08/14/2019

* * *

Ava had kept the habit of sitting outside Bella's room to her dismay. She constantly heard the taps of Bella's keyboard clicking late at night and she knew she was sending Alice emails. And the _reason_ she knew that was because during one of Bella's restroom breaks she had snuck into her room to investigate.

Call it what you may, but she was worried and needed to cope. And if that meant snooping a little, then so be it.

_For_tunately, Bella had moved from sitting on the chair in that Second Story Window, to sitting on the couch in the living room. Ava thought it was definite progress, even if it _was_ just a slight change in scenery.

_Un_fortunately, the nightmares never really stopped. They hadn't been as bad in the beginning, but as time passed they seemed to have gotten worse, Bella screaming bloody murder and jolting Ava from her sleep every night. Charlie did the best he could, immediately rushing in and easing her awake. She would relieve Charlie and take a shift every while, staying with Bella until she fell asleep again.

School was another story. Bella, instead of sitting with her group of friends as she did when the Cullens had been out in the past, had taken to sitting at their old lunch table. Ava joined her now and again.

Charlie was getting fed up. Not with Bella, but with the fact that nothing was helping her. He had brought up an idea to Ava a few times, wanting to get her opinion on it, and she always tried her best to shoot it down. She didn't want Bella to move back with her mother, Ava felt like she needed to stay here. That may had been the more selfish side of herself speaking, but the thought of staying in Forks while Bella was in Florida was upsetting.

When the girls walked out the front door that day to head to school as normal, Ava knew something was coming. Charlie was standing next to the truck with a defeated look and once Bella made her way over to the drivers side, he began speaking, "all right. That's it."

Frowning, Ava leaned over the hood of the truck. "What?" Bella asked and glanced at Ava quickly before turning back to her father.

"You're going to Jacksonville to live with your mother," he continued. Bella shook her head and swallowing heavily. "I'm not leaving Forks."

Ava remained quiet. Even though Bella moving was the last thing anyone wanted, she was curious to see how this conversation would play out. She knew that Bella would firmly refuse to leave and Charlie would insist that it would help her.

"Bells, he's not coming back." Charlie sighed.

"I know." Bella nodded before Charlie continued, justifying his suggestion, "it's just not normal, this behavior. Quite frankly, it's scaring the hell out of me, your mother." He listed before gesturing to Ava across the hood, still listening vehemently. "Ava." She cast her gaze down as Bella looked across at her.

"Baby, I don't want you to leave. We _don't_, but just go. Go to Jacksonville. Make some new friends."

Bella stared down for a few seconds before looking up defensively. "I like my old friends."

"Well, you never see them anymore," Charlie shot back gently.

She nodded. "I do," Bella continued and jerked her head in Ava's direction suddenly. "Jessica invited us to go shopping tomorrow. Me and Ava." At the sound of this, Ava straightened up as Charlie sent her a questioning look. "Yeah," she began, "she did."

Truth was, Jessica _did_ invite Ava to go shopping but she was planning on turning her down in favor of staying in with Bella.

Charlie furrowed his brow at the two teenage girls that were obviously trying to give any sort of excuse to show him that Bella was progressing. "You hate shopping," he said, turning towards Bella.

"I…" Ava could see that Bella was struggling to think of an excuse and she immediately jumped in again, "she needs a girls night out. You know, clothes and gossip and stuff," she explained, sending Bella a quick wink when she discreetly gave her a grateful smile.

"All right," Charlie said slowly, confused about the concept. "Girls night..._shopping_."

"I like it," he decided, looking back and forth between the two of them. "Go...buy some stuff."

Sensing that the conversation was over, Ava yanked the door open and climbed into the truck, bidding Charlie good-bye.

"You want to tell Jessica that we're both going shopping, or you want me to do it?" Ava asked, lolling her head to the side of the seat. "She'll probably implode."

"Can you do it?" Bella said quietly. "I haven't spoken to her very much."

* * *

The conversation with Jessica went as expected. She was ecstatic that Ava had agreed to go shopping with her and very surprised, to say the least, that Bella wanted to come along. "Bella _Swan_?"

"Yes, Bella Swan."

"...Well, if she wants to come, then it sounds like a plan," Jessica said after a beat, narrowing her eyes slightly. "I think the last time she came shopping was, like, _forever_ ago."

"Thanks Jessica, I think it'll be good for her," Ava said seriously. She knew Bella wouldn't have suggested this shopping trip if Charlie hadn't brought up moving to Jacksonville, but she hoped this would help nonetheless.

The rest of the day went by with Jessica hunting Bella down to include her in the conversation about the next day's trip; Bella would smile tightly and nod at whatever she was saying, placating her.

The following day Ava figured Bella would feign illness or come up with some sort of excuse to avoid going, but she was determined to seem a little normal for Charlie's sake. Even if that meant suffering through a shopping trip with Jessica.

As the hours ticked by and the girls' feet became more and more sore, Bella suggested seeing a movie to end the day and give everyone a rest. After dropping the bags off at Jessica's car, they watched some zombie movie that Bella suggested; Ava only having to elbow Jessica twice to keep her mouth shut to voice her opinion.

Exiting the theater, Jessica was chatting loudly, "I don't know why you want to sit through all those zombies eating people and no hot guys kissing anybody."

"It's gross," she continued. "Like...and why are there that many zombie movies anyway? 'Cause if it's supposed to, like, draw a parallel about leprosy, my cousin had leprosy. It's not funny, you know? And, like, is it supposed to be a metaphor for consumerism? Because don't be so pleased with your own, like, self-referential cleverness, you know?"

She quieted down for a second before leaning into Ava to speak to Bella. "I'm surprised you even wanted to come at all, Bella. You know?" She cast a look over her shoulder and continued in a lower voice, "like, your depression thing, I get it."

Ava nudged Jessica in an attempt to get her to stop talking but she ignored the jostle. "I'm totally, _totally_ worried. But after a while it's like, you're still bumming…and I'm going through stuff, too. You know? Like, Mike deciding he just wants to be friends."

"Jess," Ava whispered, pulling her friend a few steps backwards. "Stop."

"What? I'm helping," she insisted, neither girls noticing Bella had tuned them out; she was staring at the group of men on motorcycles across the street that had called out a second earlier.

"Are you?" Ava raised an eyebrow. "Maybe try a little _less_ to help then."

"It's hard though, you know? Like, _you're_ always with Bella and when I talk to _Angela_ about it and she just tells me stuff like, 'it's not the end of the world' and, like, 'it'll all be OK' and, 'time heals all wounds'."

They continued bickering and Bella had wandered off a few steps. When Ava noticed that she wasn't standing beside, she pulled Jessica along to stand in Bella's way and they both shot her confused looks. "Are you okay?" "Dude, come on."

The men across the street had definitely noticed the trio of girls just standing in the middle of the street because they called out again. Bella glanced over to Ava and spoke, "I think I know those guys."

Ava sent them an uneasy look and furrowed her eyebrows. Her and Bella knew pretty much the same people and she definitely didn't recognize any of them, she reached out and grabbed her wrist. "We don't," she insisted quietly.

Jessica widened her eyes and shot the men a look. "Well, they seem...great. Can we go?" For quite possibly the first time ever, Ava agreed wholeheartedly with her and tried tugging on Bella's wrist. Something was wrong in her eyes, she seemed completely dissociated.

"I'm just gonna see something," Bella said quickly, yanking her wrist roughly with such force that Ava stumbled a few steps. She was at a loss of what to do and when she realized what had happened, she moved to grab Bella again but the girl was swiftly moving towards the group.

"Does she know them?" Jessica asked, glancing around for someone to help and grasping Ava's arm.

"I...no." Ava frowned, taking a few more steps towards Bella and squinting against the streetlights to take a good look at these men.

Jessica had an iron grip on her upper arm and tripped after, eyes darting around. Ava could see the men were speaking to Bella when she approached them, a few words being exchanged before Bella seemed to come to her senses and she turned back away slightly.

That moment of sanity last a split second before Bella turned _back_ around fully and got closer; that settled it, Ava walked forward with the intent to drag her back. Jessica's grip deterred her and Jessica whispered harshly, "what if they _kill_ you?"

"What?" Ava said, almost glaring at her and trying to pry her fingers off. The next thing she heard was the roar of the motorcycle being revved.

"Bella!" She yelled quickly while turning her head, her voice being drowned out. At this point Ava had shaken Jessica off but going up against the speed of a bike, she had no chance and was met with a blast of exhaust.

"What the f-" Ava cut herself off and pulled out her phone, dialing Bella in vain.

Jessica exploded. "What the _hell_ was that?! What's her problem?! _What? _Does she expect us to, like, wait up for her?" She put her hands on her hips and waited for Ava to hang up before throwing her hands up. "Ava! What do we do?!"

"I don't know!" Ava yelled, exasperated. On one hand, she wanted desperately to call Charlie and tell him what Bella had just done; on the other hand, she knew if she _did,_ he'd 100% send Bella to live with her mother, no questions asked.

She was at her wit's end after giving her five minutes to come to her senses and she was going to throw caution to the wind and dial Charlie, consequences be damned. Her thumb was hovering over the small phone icon on Charlie's contact when Jessica nearly yelled.

"Hey, what the hell's wrong with you?" She said loudly, voice clearly annoyed. Ava jerked her head up and saw Bella walking quickly towards the both of them. "Just curious," Jessica continued, throwing her hands at Bella in confusion and taking a few steps towards her.

"Bella!" Ava let out in a relieved breath, but that was short lived and she ground her teeth together in frustration.

What the actual _fuck_ was wrong with her?! Who gets on a stranger's bike? Who rides off with a stranger? Who even approaches a group of strangers? So many questions were racing through her head, but she was too angry to think clearly. Ava was still standing in the same position and Jessica, not waiting for an explanation, immediately whirled around and gripped Ava's arm to drag her along.

Bella scampered after them. "I thought I saw something," she said evasively.

Jessica had an irritated look plastered on her face. "You..._oh_. You're insane, actually. Or suicidal. That _homeboy_," she mocked. "Could've been a psycho."

Bella was barely paying attention, throwing looks over her shoulder as Jessica continued. "We were about to end up in an FBI interview room like some lame TV show."

Bella breathed out. "God, that was such a rush."

Ava's head snapped towards her. "Bella, do you have any idea how many things could've gone wrong?!"

Jessica sent her another annoyed look. "Awesome. So you're an adrenaline junkie now? That's cool. You can go bungee jumping. You don't get on the back of some random loser's motorcycle." Jessica sped up, leaving them behind by a few steps."Crazy," she mumbled finally.

Ava remained silent after her outburst, not being able to articulate how psychotic Bella had just acted. The ride home was filled with dead silence, even the radio wasn't playing ever since Jessica managed to splash coffee all over it causing the buttons to short out weeks ago.

When she stopped in front of their house, Ava waited for Bella to get out before apologizing. "I'm sorry, Jessica. I didn't think she'd do anything like that."

"It's fine," she said shortly. "Just...avoid mentioning our future shopping trips for a little while, at least."

She didn't think she'd be going on too many trips, but Ava agreed nonetheless. After she grabbed the bags and stepped out, she shut Jessica's car door and made her way to the porch. Bella was waiting and gave her a small smile when she approached and Ava ignored it in favor of fishing out the house key.

"I'm sorry," she breathed out. "I didn't mean to make you worry."

"You _didn't_ mean to make me _worry_," Ava repeated slowly, shoving the door open with a bit more force than necessary. "_Yet_, you still got on a strangers bike and rode off? Sorry, I'm not following," she hissed, not wanting to wake Charlie since the cruiser was parked.

"Ava-"

"Let's just go to bed," she cut off, going up the stairs quietly and entering her room.

* * *

Favorite, Follow, and Review!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Angela:** In your opinion, what's the height of stupidity?  
**Ava and Jessica, turning to Bella:** How tall are you?

.+.

**Jessica:** All in all, a 100% successful trip.  
**Ava:** Jess, we lost Bella.  
**Jessica:** _ALL IN ALL, A 100% SUCCESSFUL TRIP._

_.+._

**Bella:** We have fun, don't we Ave?  
**Ava:** I have never been more stressed out in my entire life.


	6. Chapter 6

Title: The Best Of Times: A Lifetime in a Day  
Chapter 6: Junkyard Finds Make A Certain Person An Unhappy Camper  
Rating: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
Disclaimer: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
Summary: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. Eventual Paul/OC. No Bella-bashing. Follows New Moon (mostly). _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

Notes: Thank you to everyone who reviewed! Like, 5 reviews for the last chapter?!

**Kagz419:** I can assure you that she does get tired of her shit, but I mean, I'm kind of modeling Ava and Bella's relationship based on mine with my sisters. I'm the oldest girl which means I have to constantly watch out for them. Plus forgive them because, even though they're annoying, I love them to death. Well...forgive _one_ because the other is only a cutie baby toddler. Plus if we're being honest Bella kiiiiinda reminds me of my...older...little sister? She's a little awkward around most people but the kind that means well haha

**Dc1687:** She shall, my friend! Here's a spoiler to this story...kind of...it's _actually_ already all written lol if I recall she goes to La Push/First Beach in chapter 10? Or 11. One of those two. As I said, an OC-insert story, so it'll focus mostly on Ava and the actual storyline of the films, so the romance will take a backseat. But she meets Paul in chapter 11, I'm pretty sure.

**brankel1:** Thank you! I hope you keep enjoying the chapters!

**Tamani:** _I'm_ excited that _you're_ excited! Yeah, usually people don't like Bella very much because of her apparent cardboard personality. I've always liked her ever since I read the books in middle school, she's just really awkward and fidgety and I can resonate hardcore, especially at ages 11-14. I think I mentioned this but the only thing that really bothers me is her wanting to turn, _ehhhh, _but I've never fallen in love with a vampire soooo...haha I'm so glad you like the quotes, I wasn't sure if people actually read them!

first full edit: 07/16/2019

second full edit: 08/14/2019

* * *

"You're really going to Jake's?" Ava breathed heavily from the amount of energy they just exerted; heaving hunks of metal onto the bed of the truck was no easy task. She raised an eyebrow questionably. "Remind me again, when do you actually go and visit?"

"Since now." Bella shrugged, struggling with a tarp to cover the truck. Ava sighed and helped her with an end, tugging it over the edge. "It's a little weird."

"Why? We're friends."

"Yeah, you are. But you haven't really been around lately," Ava commented.

During Bella's three month extraction from society, Ava hung around Jake's whenever she could. When she wasn't trying to convince Bella to leave the house, she was at Jacob's and hanging out with Quil and Embry when they popped in. All boys still playfully angry that she had ditched out on the bonfire months before and constantly trying to get her to go to the next one.

"Maybe I'm trying to _change_ my ways." Bella smiled tightly as Ava rolled her eyes and motioned towards the back of her truck. "It wouldn't be because you have no knowledge of how to fix up a bike?"

"That...could possibly be a _part_ of it," she said slowly, leaning against the cool metal of her truck. "Wanna come along?"

Ava scoffed in mock offense. "Were you planning on leaving without me?"

She shot her a playfully annoyed look. "Shut up and get in."

When they pulled into Jacob's driveway, he walked out of his garage; noticing the red truck and by extension the girl driving it, he immediately smiled. He caught Ava's eye through the windshield and she smiled playfully, knowing exactly what was running through his mind.

Climbing out of the truck and moving towards the back, Jake ran up. "Bella!" He called and swept her into a hug. "Where the hell have you been, loca?" Ava chuckled, realizing that Bella's arrival was probably the biggest pick-me-up that anyone could give him.

Bella laughed along lowly and smiled once he put her down. Jake turned towards Ava and she put on a mock surprised look. "Wow, Jake. Spanish lessons really working, hm?" He waved off the statement. "You could've left the smart remarks at home, Ave, they aren't missed."

"Oh_,_ you _always_ miss me," Ava rolled her eyes and leaned a shoulder onto the truck. "Even a mere _week_ without me has you on edge."

"Is that it?" He mocked. "You're right. Absolutely _devastated_ you haven't been around, quietest week of my life."

"Bet you enjoyed _today's_ arrival." She jerked her head slightly towards Bella who was watching the exchange. "But you _reeeally_ need to stop with the mocking. It's unbecoming."

"It's becoming," he said cockily before turning towards Bella. "But what brings you? She finally convince you to kick it back here?"

Bella pointed backwards and sighed out nervously. "I, uh, brought you something."

"Okay." Jacob smiled as Bella opened the back door of her truck. "It's a little crazy," she admitted and Ava scoffed. "A little? Try a lot. _And_ a bad idea."

Bella pulled off part of the tarp to reveal two broken down bikes. After the whole motorcycle incident, Bella had tried everything to get Ava to forgive her. And when she did, just _today _actually, Bella dragged her to Charlie's garage and announced she was going to get Jake to help her to fix up two motorcycles. Granted, they were smaller than the one's her 'friends' had back in Port Angeles, but she still didn't like it.

Ava decided to let this all play out, biting her tongue. Bella was eighteen, an adult, and she could do whatever she wanted even if that meant coping by riding motorcycles.

"Wow," Jake said sarcastically. "Scrap metal. You shouldn't have."

Ava snorted and quickly covered her mouth when Bella shot her a dry look.

"I saved it from the junkyard." Bella quickly explained. Ava muttered under her breath, "where you should've left them."

Jake gave her an amused smile before turning back to Bella when she cleared her throat. "I think they'll probably cost more to fix than they're worth, but then I thought that if I had a mechanic friend to help me out, then…"

Jake widened his eyes in fake surprise. "Ah. Me being the mechanic-type friend?"

Ava noticed Jake's immediate deflation at the fact that Bella was just here because she needed something. As much as she wanted to tell Bella that Jake had the biggest crush on her, she couldn't. Jake always threw the stupid promise that the two made when they were 15 in her face when she would suggest it. The fact that he hadn't yet gotten over it yet was a little unnerving.

"That's right," Bella affirmed, not noticing the dull attitude that replaced his excitement. Jake shook his head in disbelief and motioned towards the bikes. "Since when are you into motorcycles?"

"Since now," she said and Ava silently rolled her eyes, it seemed like Bella was doing a lot of 'since now' things, as of late.

Jake sent Ava a look and she shrugged as if to tell him, 'it's up to you'. He looked back at the bikes and gave them an uneasy look; Bella sighed out exasperated. "I get it if you think that this is really stupid and reckless. I mean..." She turned her face and with a pointed look, addressed Ava, "_you_ already think I've been really stupid and reckless."

Ava gave her silence as an answer and Bella turned towards Jake expectantly. He sighed out. "Yeah, I mean, it's completely stupid and reckless." Her face dropped in defeat and Jake threw Ava a last helpless look before speaking again, "when do we start?"

Bella's face brightened in disbelief for a split second. "Um." She had a determined expression on now. "Now. Please."

Jake chuckled. "All right." He moved towards the back of the truck and ripped off the remaining tarp. "Be careful," Ava advised, remembering the amount of time and force it took her and Bella to lift them onto the bed.

"Yeah, those things are actually really heavy, so…" Bella cut herself off as Jacob easily lifted the bike up and over the edge. Ava raised an eyebrow and came closer to inspect Jake. Of course she had noticed after a few weeks that Jacob was getting pretty strong. It showed, she noted early on, but now it seemed like he had gotten even more muscular.

Bella looked very surprised at this, and sputtered out, "Jake, you're, like, buff. How did that happen? You're, like, 16. I don't get it."

Jake hummed slyly. "Mmm-hmm. Age is just a number, baby." Ava snorted out a laugh. "Baby? _Who _is little Jakey hanging around?"

"You," he shot back. "Way too much, I might add." Ava stuck her tongue out and he continued teasing Bella, "what are you, like, 40 now?"

Bella didn't reply for a second and instead both girls followed Jake as he rolled the bike closer to the garage. "It feels like that sometimes."

The next hour consisted of actions that held no meaning to Ava. Jake took apart some things and put together others. Day after day, it was the same thing. Ava was rolling a tool back and forth in her hand, sitting down next to the bike and watching him work. Bella was a lot more savvy when it came to the tools, so she was in charge of handing them to Jacob when needed.

"That song's good. You don't like it?" Jake asked one day, glancing up to Bella who shut off the radio.

"Um, I don't really like music anymore, kind of," she answered. Jake continued his work after raising his eyebrows to Ava in slight confusion. "Okay. No more music."

She shifted over to give room for Bella who sat down behind her; Bella started speaking again, "so I was thinking, if we're gonna do this every day, and..." She nudged Ava with a pointed look. "And hopefully we _will_, we have to, like, fit some homework in there somewhere."

Even though Ava had seen this coming after the third consecutive day of working on the bike, she still pouted at the thought of watching Jake work on a motorcycle _every single_ day and she almost wished for homework to do. "I don't want Billy thinking we're a bad influence on you."

Jake scoffed and turned back to look at Bella. "You? Influence me? Please." Before looking at Ava in mock disappointment. "You on the other hand, have corrupted me beyond repair."

"Billy loves me," she taunted. "Said so himself. More than his own son, even."

"Now _that _is a lie," he said, brandishing the tool in his hand in her direction as a warning. "But, uh, _Bella_ here, influencing me is hilarious."

Ava felt Bella shift forward slightly in offense. "Are you...I'm older than you," she pointed out, before waving towards her cousin. "We're _both_ older. So that makes us the influencers and you the influencee."

Jacob laughed. "No, no, no. My size and knowledge base actually makes me older than both of you. Combined." He added after a second. Ava breathed out a quick laugh. "You are not only _way_ off, bu-ut delusional."

"Again," he repeated, leaning towards Ava to speak. "Because of your...lack of upper body strength and delusions of grandeur and..." He moved to look at Bella, ignoring Ava's scoff of indignation. "Because of _your_ general paleness and lack of know-how."

"I convinced you to build two-wheeled death machines with me," Bella reminded. "Don't you think that makes you young and naive."

Ava held up her pointer finger. "Seconded. Jake, you're a large child."

"Okay," Jacob said finally, knowing going up against two girls adamant about being right was already a lost battle. "So where do we stand?" Bella thought for a moment before speaking again, "I'm 35. You're, like, 32. And Ava you're, like, 30."

Jake gave her a calculating look. "Come on."

Ava cut him off and sputtered out, "wha-how is Jacob older! That's _not _fair."

Jake laughed. "You know what?" He said while squinting at Ava. "I'll take it."

"You _both_ suck! If _anything,_ I'm a hundred and-" Ava had lifted herself up in the middle of her rant and a quick knock at the door interrupted her, the doors swinging open. "Yo, Jake, you in there?" A familiar voice called in, scaring Bella for a second.

Ava turned on her heel to face the door, welcomingly. "What a surprise, don't you boys have a beach to be standing on?"

Quil and Embry both strolled in. "_Ava_, how many years has it been?" Quil said, pulling the girl into a one-armed hug when she approached.

Curving an arm on his back. "Too long, Quil. _Too_ long. Almost two whole weeks, didn't think I'd survive another."

Embry was smiling until he looked past the pair and noticed there was a new face, his smile being replaced by an inquisitive look. Before addressing Bella he called out, "hey Jake." Quil pulled back and kept his arm slung around Ava's shoulders. "Hey."

"Hey. Guys. This is Bella," Jake introduced, standing up and motioning between them. "Bella, that's Quil and Embry."

Quil nodded slightly at Bella. "I'm Quil Ateara," he continued speaking. "So the bike building story is true."

Bella looked nervously at the floor and back up. "Oh, yeah, yeah, I taught him everything he knows."

"Hopefully it's more than this one. Doesn't know a hammer from a wrench." Embry laughed, nudging Ava's shoulder. She shot him a dirty look, but Quil continued pressing on, "what about the part where you're his girlfriend?"

Ava pinched his side, silently cursing him for making things awkward. But that was Quil, always pressing buttons that shouldn't be pushed for no apparent reason. He had no problem, giving her a cheesy smile before turning back towards the pair expectantly.

Jake had his mouth open in nervous shock and Bella was looking at them awkwardly. "Uh...we're friends, you know," she said finally, wringing her hands around each other.

Both boys immediately let out laughs and Embry nudged at Ava's upper arm while looking at Jake. "Ooh, _burn_."

Jacob wasn't amused and tried to alleviate the tension. "Actually," he started, pointing at Bella and giving them both warning looks. "Remember I said, she's a _girl_ and a _friend_."

Quil removed his slung arm and feigned looking thoughtful. "Embry, do you remember him making that distinction?"

"Nope," Embry said immediately, devilish smile prominent on his face. Bella continued on, wanting the subject changed, "so you guys have girlfriends? That's awesome."

When she said that, Ava snickered, trying to hide her smile but Jake and no qualms laughing out loud.

"Yeah, right. Quil's actually taking his cousin to prom," Jake admitted, happy that the tables were now turned. Ava sensed an impending fight looming; she'd known these guys long enough to know that they played rough, and she moved closer to Bella who was still seated.

Embry puffed out a laugh. "Only because Ava doesn't want to go."

"Hey, I didn't even _ask_, I suggested as friends," Quil defended, shoving Embry who was still laughing. "Yeah, that's still a riot. Quit twisting my words, asshole."

Quil switched tactics and zeroed in on Jake. "You want funny, Black? I'll give you funny."

He ran at him, both trying to gain the upper hand and knocking a stool down in the midst of it. Embry moved towards Ava and Bella. "I got five bucks on Quil," he stated. Ava made a thoughtful noise, observing the boys roughhousing. "I think I'll challenge you on that, _ten_ on Jake."

"Ten? You don't even _have_ ten."

"_Well_, at the end of this, I'll definitely have five." She turned to look at him, eyebrows raised in a challenge.

"I'm with Ava," Bella cut in. "You're on."

Just as she said that, Quil managed to shove Jake into a headlock, yelling at him to tap out.

* * *

The next few days were filled with motorcycles, motorcycle parts, motorcycle talk, and Ava's confusion. She tried to help on more than one occasion but Jake always insisted that she just stay put and not touch anything. Bella started acting like herself again, her dry sense of humor and sarcasm returning. Ava was grateful to Jake for bringing this out of her, especially after she had tried for so long...it was nice watching someone else do what she couldn't.

"So Quil keeps asking to come over. I think he likes you a little too much," Jake mentioned to Bella one afternoon.

"Oh," Bella said, amused. "Well, I'm not really into the whole cougar thing. You know?"

"Don't tell him that." Ava giggled, imagining Quil and Bella actually dating. "Don't break his heart."

Jake stopped for a second before looking at Bella. "What's up with you and age? I mean, how old was that Cullen guy, anyway?"

Ava glanced at Bella and without thinking, wondered aloud, "you know, how old _was_ he? I don't think I ever asked, seventeen, eighteen?" Bella looked uncomfortable at the question and looked down slightly.

She remained silent, not answering the question, and after a few seconds she suggested that her and Ava head out before it got too late.

* * *

Favorite, Follow, and Review!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Quil:** We should all go to jail together!  
**Embry:** Yeah!  
**Jake:** No!

.+.

_[at a bonfire]_

**Quil:** Hey, do you have any sunscreen, dude?  
**Embry:** You can't get sunburnt from a bonfire.  
**Quil:** It's for my marshmallow, dumbass.

.+.

**Quil:** Bitch.  
**Jacob:** Blocked.  
**Quil:** Wait, unblock me. I need to tell you something.  
**Jacob:** Unblocked.  
**Quil:** Bitch.


	7. Chapter 7

Title: The Best Of Times: A Lifetime in a Day  
Chapter 7: Jumping Off Cliffs Is Supposed To Be Fun? Better Than Breaking Your Head Open, I Guess.  
Rating: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
Disclaimer: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
Summary: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. Eventual Paul/OC. No Bella-bashing. Follows New Moon (mostly). _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

Notes: This is mainly an OC-insert story into the films, meaning the Paul/OC will take a backseat for now!

**angelacorus:** Yo también, mi amiga. Haha but like I said, chapter 11 is when we see him!

first full edit: 07/20/2019

second full edit: 08/15/2019

* * *

After two weeks, Ava watched as the bikes became more and more complete. Eventually once they were ready to ride, she insisted on trying them another day. "Bella, we can try tomorrow. Or next week. Get some padding or-"

"Ava, it's fine," Bella cut off, waving off her worry and Ava shot Jake a look as a last ditch effort to convince her, but he just shrugged helplessly. Ava ran a hand through her hair in frustration, climbing in the bed of the truck. "I'm not sitting with either of you."

"And you say, _I'm_ dramatic?" Jacob said, raising an eyebrow and tossing her an end of the tarp to cover the bikes. She fixed her end before replying, "you _are_," Ava mumbled, plopping down for a few seconds.

She shot up again, the truck shifting from the sudden movement and threw up her hands in frustration. "This is a bad idea! Let's just go watch a movie or something, Bella you're going to _die_."

"Ava," Bella repeated. "It's fine. You're going to be there, you'll prevent any injuries, I'm sure." She gave Ava a last pointed look before climbing into the driver's side. Kneeling by the edge of the truck, she shoved Jake as he passed to get into the passenger seat. "Jacob Black, I hate you."

"Love you too, Ave."

Ava frowned and crossed her arms, leaning backwards onto the bikes to get more comfortable.

_Bella and Jake are both incredibly stupid. _

Once the truck started moving, Ava let her head loll to stare at the sky. The air whipped her hair around wildly and the salty air hit her nose when they neared the ocean. A sudden jolt caused her to yell out in surprise and grab onto the ledge; thinking that Bella swerved to avoid hitting something, she turned around but she was only met with the sound of the truck shutting off.

Ava knocked on the glass in confusion and Bella ignored her, yanking the driver's door open. "Bella! What the heck?" Ava complained. "You almost broke my neck."

"Did you see that?" She asked breathlessly, giving Ava and Jake a quick glance before running closer to the opposite side of the road.

She stared off at the cliff and Ava followed her gaze, seeing a group of guys cheering as another dove into the water below. Jacob laughed lowly as he exited the truck and gestured to the group. "They're not really fighting, Bella. They're cliff diving. Scary as hell, but a total rush."

"They actually jump off a _cliff_ for a rush?" Ava wondered aloud, stepping over the side of the truck and landing down onto the gravel.

Jake shot her a teasing look, before jerking his head towards the cliff. "Not up for it?"

She gave him a dry look, moving to stand beside him. "Um, _no._ Not a fan of getting a heart attack half-way down."

"Dra-ma-tic," Jacob mocked slowly, leaning towards Ava and resting his cheek on the top of her head.

"A rush?" Bella echoed absently, still gazing longingly at the group. Jake lifted his head before nodding. "Most of us jump from lower down."

"Why?" Ava asked innocently, mimicking his past words. "_Not up for it_?"

"_Hardy, har, har_," he said sarcastically before adding, "we leave the showing off to Sam and his disciples."

"That's Sam?" Ava asked, a little shocked and Jake nodded. She didn't know Sam very well, only knowing him as the guy who carried an unconscious Bella from the forest so long ago, and an occasional mention in passing from the guys. "...Dang."

Bella stared for a second longer before turning back towards the pair, noticing Jacob's tone when he talked about Sam. "You have some kind of beef with him or something?" She asked; Ava cast Jake a side glance, waiting for his answer. "I don't know," he admitted. "They just think they run this place."

"_Wait_, are they the guys that Embry used to call the hall monitors?" Ava asked, breathing out a laugh and staring at the group. They seemed to be having a great time, yelling and shoving at each other to jump.

"Hall monitors on steroids," Jake corrected, smiling at the memory before turning slightly bitter. "Now look at him."

Ava furrowed her brows and squinted to take a closer look. "Embry's over there?" "That's Embry?" Her and Bella said at the same time. She had noticed that Embry hadn't been around for a while, but she figured he was busy; she didn't know that he had apparently made some new friends.

Jake watched as another guy jumped off with a holler and looked away. "...Yeah."

"What happened to him?" Bella asked.

"He missed some school." He shrugged. "Now all of a sudden he started following Sam around like a little puppy. Same thing with Paul and Jared."

Ava didn't recognize the names that Jake had mentioned but she frowned at Embry's apparent behavior. He was always a sweet kid. A little shy at first, but to her, he had morphed into a close friend.

Jake continued, "Sam keeps giving me this look, like he's waiting for me or something. It's kind of starting to freak me out."

Bella furrowed her eyebrows. "Well, you should just avoid him."

"Or punch him. Show those biceps," Ava suggested jokingly, squeezing his upper arms. He shot her a roll of his eyes before the expression fell from his face. "I try. Avoiding him, I mean."

There was a beat of silence before Jacob gestured to the bikes. "We should get going."

Groaning in exasperation, Ava gave the bikes a dirty look. "_Ugh_."

* * *

Arriving at a clearing, the bikes were unloaded and Bella stared at them, beyond excited. Ava on the other hand, looked at them hoping to wish them away with her mind. Jake didn't say anything but pointed at the other bike enticingly, Ava scrunched up her nose and shook her head. "Not happening."

Jake laughed in response and walked towards Bella who was already mounting the bike, casting her a quick glance. "You look scared."

"I'm not," she insisted, a determined look on her face. Jake raised his brows slightly. "All right," he surrendered, showing her how the bike worked. "Brake? Clutch? Gas?" As soon as he finished, Bella roared the bike to life.

Ava grimaced at the noise and crossed her arms tightly across her chest.

"Ready?" Jake asked, backing up and standing next to Ava out of Bella's path. "Now, _slowly_," he enunciated. "Release the clutch."

The bike jerked forward quickly and Bella gasped, stopping immediately. Ava jumped at the sudden movement, looking at her worriedly. "Bella...maybe we should stop."

"Whoa." Jacob chuckled nervously, taking a step forward towards her. "You all right?"

She ignored both of them and grasped the handlebars tightly. "I'm gonna go again."

Ava stayed silent and Jake gave Bella an uneasy look. "Okay," he agreed carefully as Bella revved the engine again and propelled forward.

"Oh, my God," Ava mumbled, watching her back. Jacob kept his eyes on her, licking his lips nervously and Ava gave him a silent glare. "...This was a bad idea."

She felt her hands ball into fists as Bella started swerving, moving across the road. "The brakes!" She yelled; Ava didn't know much about bikes but_ brakes_, she was very familiar with.

"Hit the breaks!" Jake yelled out after.

A split second later, the bike was thrown down and Bella went flying, slamming into the ground roughly. Ava immediately sprinted towards her; Jake used the other bike to ride over, passing her, and hopping off when he reached Bella.

Ava saw Bella lift her upper body unsteadily and she ran faster, breathing heavily once reaching her. "...Bella, are you-are you okay? Oh, my God, you hit the rocks. Are you-does it hurt? You need to go to the hospital," she fretted while kneeling down, pushing Jake out of the way and grabbing her chin to inspect her face. "You're _bleeding_," she mumbled dreadfully.

_She's so stupid, she's so stupid, she's so stupid. Charlie is going to kill me,_ Ava groaned inwardly.

Bella swiped her hand away. "No. I want to go again," she said, looking at Jake.

Scoffing out loudly, Ava gave her a disbelieving look. "Like _hell_ you are. We're going home."

Jake finally seemed to have some sense beaten into him, because he shook his head lightly. "No. Forget it. No more bikes." He noticed the blood running down her face and frowned. "_Man_, your head."

Bella gave them an angry look before the pain caught up to her. She lifted a hand to her hairline. "Ow," she muttered, lowering it and seeing the blood. "Oh, my God, I'm sorry."

Ava rolled her eyes and Jake gave a small laugh, moving closer to inspect her. "What, you're apologizing for bleeding?" Bella looked a little out of it and she looked down at the ground. "Yeah, I guess I am."

"Well." Ava stood up and and sighed. "...You're dying."

Jake sent her a look as if to say 'you're not helping' and turned back to Bella. "It's just a little blood, Bella. No big deal." As he finished his sentence, he straightened up like Ava had and pulled off his shirt.

"Jake, I don't think this situation calls for stripping," Ava deadpanned, receiving a wink as an answer before he knelt down again.

He pressed the shirt onto her forehead gently. "There."

Bella seemed almost entranced staring at Jacob. "What are you staring at?" Jake asked, continuing to dab at the wound. She smiled enchantedly. "You're sort of beautiful."

Ava held back a snort of laughter by covering her mouth. Jake paused for a second. "How hard did you hit your head?"

"Enough for permanent damage to her eyesight, it seems." Ava's laughter finally escaping her and Jacob cast her a dry look over his shoulder.

Bella looked at the ground embarrassed. "I don't know," she mumbled.

He chuckled softly and moved his head towards the road. "...Let's go." He helped Bella up and Ava moved to her other side, wrapping an arm around her waist for support.

"What did I say in the beginning?" She wondered out loud, giving them both unamused looks. "I hate to say it, but I told you so."

"You love to say it," Jake pointed out from Bella's opposite side, rolling his eyes.

* * *

Favorite, Follow, and Review!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Sam:** Quit your job.  
**Jake:** Why?  
**Sam:** Join my emo band.

.+.

**Ava:** You disappoint me.  
**Jacob:** Don't expect me to lose any sleep over it.

.+.

**Bella:** You...actually care about me?  
**Ava:** Of course I do, you dumb bitch.


	8. Chapter 8

Title: The Best Of Times: A Lifetime in a Day  
Chapter 8: Apparently There Are Bears And Is Mono Just Contagious Or Like, _Contagious_, Contagious.  
Rating: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
Disclaimer: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
Summary: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. Eventual Paul/OC. No Bella-bashing. Follows New Moon (mostly). _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

Notes: This is mainly an OC-insert story into the films, meaning the Paul/OC will take a backseat for now!

**Kagz419:** He is, isn't he? I swear, I love Embry with all my being haha his smile is so adorable. _Ahhh_, thank you for reviewing!

first full edit: 07/20/2019

second full edit: 08/15/2019

* * *

"I did see something in the woods." Angela insisted, staring at Eric who nodded slowly. "..._Totally_. Baby, I believe you.

Jessica scoffed and looked up from her lunch. "No, he doesn't. He's just trying to get lucky."

Ava rolled her eyes at her answer and Eric laughed; untwisting the cap on her drink, Ava took a large swig, seeing Bella enter the cafeteria. Grabbing her water bottle, she moved it onto her tray to ready herself to sit with her.

"No, okay," Angela continued. "It was jet black and huge. On all fours, it was _still_ taller than a person."

"A bear, maybe?" Ava suggested, glancing at Angela quickly. "There are bears around here, right?"

Mike pointed at Ava, nodding his head, before gesturing at Angela with his water bottle. "..._Or_ an alien," he offered. "You're lucky you didn't get probed."

Ava held back a look of surprise when she saw Bella begin walking towards the group; Bella managed to catch her eyes and Ava sent her an encouraging smile. Shifting over to give her room to sit, she signaled Jessica to the oncoming guest. Jessica gave Bella a tight smile, and Ava elbowed her pointedly when she noticed that Jessica didn't bother keeping it up and replaced it with a clear frown.

Bella played with the hem of her sleeve as she made her way closer, speaking quietly toward the group, "you know, you're not the only one. Um..." She gave Ava a nervous look before resuming, "my dad's been getting reports at the station." Everyone continued to stare at her strangely.

"That's true," Ava added, relieving some of the tension. "Yeah, I've peeked at a few of his files. It's weird."

She patted the open space between herself and Mike, Bella lowering herself down. "Like, five hikers have been killed by some bear. But they can't find the bear," Bella continued.

"Hmm," Angela said thoughtfully, looking at her boyfriend expectantly.

Eric laughed awkwardly, eyes shifting from Ava, Mike, and Jessica chastisingly. "...Last time you clowns doubt my girlfriend."

Ava snorted in amusement and turned towards Mike who was coughing pointedly.

"Um…" Mike started lowly, turning away from Eric's overdramatic showers of affection. "So, I mean, Bella's back?" He asked hopefully, looking at Bella.

She chuckled softly. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Alright." Mike clapped quietly once. "That's. Well, _welcome_."

"Um," he continued, holding his chin with his palm nervously and lowering it to speak, "...so, listen, now that you're talking and, uh..._eating_ again, which, you know, you've got to get that protein in there," he said, poking at her upper arm.

"Um, I was just wondering if you wanted to go to a movie with me." He rushed out.

Keeping the surprised look from her face, Ava looked at Bella to wait for her answer.

Mike had always bugged her to talk more about Bella, ever since Edward left town he seemed to think he stood a good chance to get a date with her. Ava managed to keep him from asking her out for a while, reminding him that he _had_ a girlfriend. Jessica Stanley, with the current sour expression on her face. And then reminding him that Edward just left and Bella would need some time to herself.

Bella smacked her lips together quietly once and glanced at Ava. "...Yeah. Sure," she said after a few seconds. "Yeah, I do."

"Cool," Mike said casually. "Let me see, we could check out, um, 'Love Spelled Backward is Love'?" He searched Bella's face for any indication that she wanted to watch that film before continuing, "...you know, it's a dumb title, but it's a romantic comedy. I mean, it's supposed to be pretty…"

Bella sighed out audibly and he stopped talking, looking at her expectantly as she spoke, "no. Not romance."

Mike looked at Ava for help and she jumped in. "Um, that action one is out? Um, Sucker Punch? Or, Punching Face? What was it?" Ava asked, turning to Bella.

"Face Punch." She nodded. "How about it? Have you heard of that?"

He stuttered out, "I-I mean..." He rested his head on his mouth and gestured towards Ava with his other hand. "That's an action movie."

"Yeah, that's perfect," Bella stated. "Um, guns, adrenaline."

"That's her..._thing,"_ Ava added, chiming in again. She knew Mike obviously wanted a romantic film, but at this point Bella going on a date with _any_ other guy didn't seem like such a bad idea.

"Okay." Mike nodded. Ava took a swig of her water.

"We should get a bunch of other people to go," Bella insisted, patting her cousin's shoulder causing her nearly choke. "Do you guys want to go see Face Punch?" Bella glanced at the rest of the table; Ava was about to protest and suggest that just Bella and Mike go, when Eric yelled out excitedly, "Face Punch, yeah!"

He gestured to Mike. "Mike, hey, we were supposed to watch that. Remember the trailer's like..." He feigned explosions and continued in a dramatic voice, ""_punch_ _faces_.""

"Yeah," Jessica muttered sarcastically, looking down at her salad in mock excitement. "_Movie night_ _with_ _Bella_."

Ava opened her mouth to speak when the bell rang signaling the end of lunch. Once everyone was out of earshot, she smacked Bella on the shoulder and whispered harshly, "what is wrong with you? Mike likes you…he was asking you on a _date_ date. Just you and him, not with the whole..." Ava motioned discreetly to the group in front of them. "Entourage."

"I know he was," she said. "But I don't really want to go out with Mike. And you're coming this Friday, you _have_ to."

"No," Ava insisted firmly. "I'm not."

* * *

Needless to say, Ava found herself at the movie theater Friday night.

She shifted from foot to foot and kept an eye on Mike and Jacob who were speaking a few feet away. She had forced Jake to come alone, insisting that this would pay her back for losing that wrestling match with Quil. Ava figured he would alleviate some of the impending boredom she was expecting; but after a few minutes with observing the two boys she knew it was going to be a _long_ movie.

So far, Jessica hadn't arrived and neither had Angela and Eric.

Ava's phone lit up with a message and she frowned, internally groaning and leaning against the side of the building for support.

**Jess**:

**Can't make it tonight. Dog got sick, sorry babe!**

Jessica didn't even _have_ a dog.

Bella walked up to her after she left the ticket booth and brandished four tickets. "I didn't know what time Jessica was getting here, so I just got four," she explained, handing Ava one.

"Well, Jessica isn't coming," she informed, examining the ticket.

Bella nodded slowly. "Eric told me Angela has the flu, so they're out."

"So, it's just us four..." Ava said unenthusiastically, moving towards the boys. "_Great_," she muttered under her breath. Ava _really_ wasn't in the mood to juggle both Mike's and Jake's feelings towards Bella.

"Jessica bailed, and Angela got the stomach flu so Eric's taking care of her," Bella announced, glancing between the guys. "It's just us four."

Jake nodded, excited. "Great!" And Mike choked out, "great."

Bella nodded awkwardly and looped her arm around Ava's to lead them inside quickly. The movie itself was a nightmare; guns and shooting wasn't her thing and she found herself sandwiched between Mike and Bella, Bella chaining Ava beside her.

Mike wasn't entertained either, rubbing at his eyes and shifting repeatedly in his seat. When Ava got up to use the restroom, upon returning, she saw that Mike had moved one seat over and was now seated on Bella's other side.

Bella had a wide-eyed look on her face and mouthed '_help_', before Ava shrugged helplessly and moved to Mike's other side. He muttered some BS excuse about seeing the screen better when she sat down. Ava almost snorted aloud when she noticed that both Mike and Jake rested their hands on the armrest, basically _begging_ Bella to grab one.

Glancing up at the screen just as someone blew another's head off, Ava scrunched up her nose. Mike couldn't handle it, because he glanced at Ava, looking sick. "Okay, I think I'm gonna throw up," he gasped out and quickly stood up, running out of the aisle.

She gave both Bella and Jake an exasperated look, before heaving themselves up to follow him out. Ava shoved the door open that led into the hallway just as Mike rushed into the restroom.

"He's…" Bella said, trying to explain the enigma that was Mike.

Jake scoffed. "What a marshmallow. You should both hold out for someone with a stronger stomach," he suggested jokingly before continuing, "someone who _laughs_ at the gore that makes the weaker men vomit."

"Please let me know when you find one." Ava clasped her hands together in mock desperation as Bella laughed softly. "Yeah, we'll keep an eye open for that."

Ava threw her hand in the direction of the restroom. "I'll wait out here for Mike."

"Don't go falling in love," Jake teased as they passed, walking towards the stairwell. She rolled her eyes and replied in overdramatic infatuation, "I make _no_ promises."

Stopping for a second to examine a poster for an upcoming movie, Ava cast a glance at the pair just as Jake grabbed Bella's hand casually.

Bella let go and continued speaking as if nothing happened. She tried her best not to eavesdrop but in the end, being Ava, she lost that battle.

She inched forward slowly, only catching the end of their exchange. "...Jacob, please, don't do this," Bella sighed out, moving past Ava's line of sight and sitting on the stairs blocked by the ledge.

"Why?" Jacob asked, genuinely confused. Bella's voice reached her ears, "because you're about to ruin everything. And..." She took a pause. "I need you."

"Well, I've got loads of time," Jake insisted. "I'm not gonna give up."

Ava slightly admired Jake's ability to wait up for a girl who obviously wasn't ready to enter a relationship but despite that, she wasn't sure when exactly Bella would give him _something_.

Imagine her surprise when Bella answered, "I don't want you to, but it's just 'cause I don't want you to go anywhere. You and Ave, I need you both to...to keep me _sane_. And I know that's really selfish," she said breathlessly. "You know, I'm not like a car that you can fix up."

She thought Bella finished speaking, but she heard her again after a few seconds, "...I'm never gonna run right. So, I should be fair to you."

Seeing Jake tense up before he spoke, "it's because of him, right?" He moved away just as Bella did, making it much easier for Ava to stalk closer behind the wall of the stairwell.

"Look," Jake said. "I know what he did to you. But, Bella, I would never ever do that. I won't ever hurt you. I wouldn't hurt Ava. I promise. I won't let you down…" Ava strained to hear the last of what he said, but she couldn't move farther than the ledge.

It was silent for a few seconds and she almost gave herself away just to see if Jake had leaned for a kiss.

Unfortunately, someone clasped their hand onto her shoulder and she shot up to reveal herself. Bella and Jacob both looked at Ava and Mike, questionably.

"Well..." Mike sniffled, noticing the pairs' close proximity. After a few seconds, he announced, "...I need to go home."

"That, uh, sounds great," Ava said sheepishly.

Bella gave her deflated look and Jake had shifted his gaze, staring off into the distance intensely. He turned after a beat to give Mike an annoyed look; Mike leaned onto the ledge casually and explained himself, seemingly just as annoyed, "I was feeling sick before the movie, okay?"

There was a few seconds of an awkward silence, and Mike was at the end of his patience. "..._What_ is your problem?

"Right now? You're my problem," Jake admitted before mocking him. "_Feeling sick_? Maybe you need to go to the hospital." He suddenly shot up and Mike backed up a few steps as Jacob got in his face. "You want me to _put you_ in the hospital?"

Furrowing her eyebrows in surprise and confusion, Ava quickly grabbed Jacob's arm. "Jake, calm down." Trying to pull him back in vain, Bella ran to his other side. "Jake! Jake. Jake, the movie's over. What are you doing?"

Ava didn't notice anything wrong at first, but when Bella voiced, "you're really hot," she felt the heat radiating off of him. She squinted at her hand and then at his face. "Jake, you're _really really_ hot."

Hearing Mike scoff silently, Ava continued, "you're sick. Like, 110 fever sick." Pressing her free hand onto his forehead, she nearly gasped out at the feeling.

"Are you okay?" Bella asked. Jake looked down, Ava's hand falling from his face.

"I don't know what's happening," he choked out, breathing heavily. "...I gotta go."

He shrunk away from both holds on his arms and strode towards the exit.

Her frown deepened and Ava followed him a few steps, grabbing his elbow. "Jacob."

He turned around quickly and gave her a forced smile. "I'm fine. Just...I'll see you tomorrow?" He didn't wait for an answer and gently pried Ava's fingers from him. Staring at his retreating back for a few seconds, she whirled around to face Bella and Mike.

Mike shook his head. "That dude is weird."

* * *

Ava and Bella only spoke briefly about what happened that day and they came to the conclusion that Jake had come down with something, probably a cold or the flu. Ava opted not to bring up the conversation that Bella and Jake were having before they were interrupted.

The following day Ava made her way to Jacob's house, expecting to see him in his garage working on the Rabbit. Not even a cold could keep him from it in the past. After seeing that the garage was empty, she marched up to the front door and grabbed the knob expecting it to turn easily.

Billy never minded her waltzing into the house. She developed that habit when she was younger and never really grew out of it.

She frowned after jiggling the knob a few more times, _why was it locked?_ Billy and Jake only locked the door at night, or if both of them were leaving. I mean, this was _Forks_, nothing ever happened. She knocked on the door a few times, waiting a minute before sighing.

_If Jake was sick, why wasn't he home?_ Ava thought, taking a step backwards and preparing herself to head back home and try some other time. When the exact same thing happened day after day, she began to worry.

At this point Ava had called both Jacob and Billy, only Billy answering and saying that Jake had come down with mono. She asked Bella if she knew anything more, only shrugging and replying that she had no idea.

"Mono?" Ava deadpanned. "That's like saying, '_he doesn't want to talk to you, leave us alone_,'" she insisted to Charlie on one rare afternoon where the three of them were together in the living room. Bella was seated on the floor near her feet and Ava was laid across the couch, only her face visible and covered by a mountain of blankets.

Charlie rolled his eyes at his niece before turning back to the game on the TV. "Ave, I think what it means is, _he has mono_."

Ava tapped Bella with her foot and gave her a pointed look. "Bella, don't you have anything to add?"

"He…" She drifted off before shrugging innocently. "...Has mono?"

"Ugh." Ava groaned, sitting up as best she could with the amount of weight on her. "You're both hopeless. Jake hasn't been home in, like, a week and a half. I don't know much about mono but isn't that plenty of time to get over it?"

Ava knew that Bella had continuously left him voicemails, asking what was going on. She was worried and expressed her restlessness to Ava about the situation, and after that Ava's worry was replaced with slight anger. Why would Jake talk about not leaving Bella and then do exactly that, without so much as a phone call to explain that he was sick?

And what about _her_? He said he'd see Ava the next day but he had been wiped off the planet. She couldn't even count how the amount of times he'd beg Ava to come over to keep him company because he had a _sniffle_. And now he supposedly had mono and she hadn't received a single call or text.

"Ava, stop stalking the Blacks." Was all Charlie said in reply, and Ava glared at Bella when she snorted in amusement.

"I'm trying to help," she insisted. "If he _does_ have mono, then why isn't he home? Why isn't he answering the door?"

"Maybe the fact that you're the one knocking speaks volumes as to why he's not answering."

Ava ignored Charlie's statement, and continued, "I think something weird is going on."

"Isn't it getting a little too late for your..._this_?" He gestured vaguely her direction.

She frowned and shoved the blankets off, standing up. "It's like two PM." Striding over to the stairs, Ava went up a few before calling out again, "if Jake actually has mono then he should be _happy_ that I'm bothering to visit."

* * *

Favorite, Follow, and Review!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Jacob:** Could you ever see us as being more than friends?  
**Bella:** Yes, I'm glad you asked.  
**Jacob:** That's wonderful, I-  
**Bella:** I can totally see us as cats.  
**Jacob:**  
**Bella:** Hang on, let me find the picture I drew.

.+.

_**Mike, inwardly:** Don't let her know how awkward you are._  
**Bella:** Nice weather.  
**Mike:** Thanks.


	9. Chapter 9

Title: The Best Of Times: A Lifetime in a Day  
Chapter 9: Keeping Promises And Secrets Or, Someone Go Get Some Garlic Because Fucking Vampires Exist  
Rating: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
Disclaimer: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
Summary: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. Eventual Paul/OC. No Bella-bashing. Follows New Moon (mostly). _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

Notes: This is mainly an OC-insert story into the films, meaning the Paul/OC will take a backseat for now!

**brankel1:** Thank you so much! And thank you for reviewing!

first full edit: 07/20/2019

second full edit: 08/16/2019

* * *

Leaving the house a few days later, the rain didn't slow her down a fraction; Ava was filled with determination and nothing was going to stop her from speaking to Jacob. Arriving at the Blacks' house, she figured that jiggling the doorknob and knocking was a good place to start.

But considering that process hadn't worked the last few days, she wasn't surprised when it was _locked_ and _no one answered the freaking door_.

She walked around the perimeter of the house and inspected for anything that looked amiss. She didn't know what would happen if she found something that _actually_ sparked suspicion, but her curiosity had gotten the best of her yet again. The rain was beginning to soak into her shirt and she shook slightly, wrapping her arms around herself.

_Everything was normal_, Ava noted, almost disappointingly.

She was in the middle of debating climbing up the tree that was beside his house, when she heard sloshing around behind her. Quickly spinning around, Ava saw a shirtless Jacob standing in the middle of his backyard, soaking wet.

Once she got over her initial shock, she sputtered out, "...you-you're supposed to be _sick_!" Ava yelled out, taking large steps towards him and trying her best to avoid stepping in the mud.

"I'm fine," he said blankly, not moving as his childhood friend stepped closer.

After a moment of staring at him, she spoke, "...you...cut your hair."

He remained silent and once Ava glanced over his form, her eyes landed on the side of his bicep. "You got a _tattoo_?! Jake, what the fuck, _when_?! I thought you had mono, Billy _said_ you had mono but you look fine," she burst accusingly.

"What are you doing here?" He bit out instead.

Ava frowned and glared at him through her wet lashes. "I _thought_ you were sick. You should be grateful for me going out of my way to make sure everything's okay instead of being pissed for no reason."

His frown deepened and he looked at her with a serious expression. "...Just go, tell Bella to stop calling."

She reeled back. "Tell Bella to stop _calling _you? Jake, what the fuck is wrong with you? You're acting weird, and you won't answer mine or Bella's calls, and Billy is lying by saying you have mono when you look healthy as a freaking-" Ava cut herself off when she noticed he was looking over her shoulder.

"Jake!" She whirled around and saw the familiar red pickup in Jacob's driveway. Bella was quickly walking towards the pair, an angry expression on her face. "Hey!"

After reaching them, she stared at Jake. "You cut your hair off?"

"And..got a tattoo?" She added, looking at Ava as if she had an explanation, before turning back to Jake.

He looked at his bicep for a second before addressing her directly, "Bella-"

She didn't give him a chance before yelling out, "I thought you were too sick to come outside...or..." With an embarrassed glance at her cousin, she continued with crossed arms, "pick up the phone when I call."

Jake didn't answer what was thrown at him and instead breathed out, "...go away." He looked at Ava. "_Both_ of you."

"What?" Bella asked, lowering her arms in confusion.

"Go away."

A few seconds passed before Bella asked breathlessly, "what happened to you? What's wro-" As she spoke, he turned around and she grabbed at his elbow, forcing him to turn to face them again.

"What happened?" She demanded. "...Did Sam get to you? Is that what's happening?" Sam hadn't even crossed Ava's mind and she looked at Jake expectantly.

He had a defensive look on his face and ground out, "Sam's trying to help me. Don't blame him." He gave a humorless laugh, almost mocking. "But if you want someone to blame, how about those filthy bloodsuckers you love, the Cullens?"

A huge clap of thunder echoed, but Ava paid it no mind. Confused, even more if possible.

_What the hell did that mean?_

Bella was looking at Jacob, a betrayed look on her face and she turned to Ava, mouth open. "I-"

"Oh, that's right," Jacob continued, joining in Bella to look at Ava. "You don't know. Your little cousin is keeping some pretty big secrets from you."

Ava deepened the lines between her eyebrows even more, looking back and forth between Bella and Jake. "_What_ is going on? What are you talking about?" She yelled through the rain and thunder.

Bella turned towards Jacob again. "I don't know what you're talking about."

His attention snapped back to Bella. "No, you know exactly what I'm talking about. You've been lying to everyone," he snarled. "Charlie. Ava. But you can't lie to me." He shook his head. "Not anymore, Bella."

Ava opened her mouth to voice her utter confusion to the whole situation again, when she was interrupted. "Jacob!"

Looking past him, Ava recognized the distinct voice of Sam Uley. She squinted against the heavy rain continuously falling into her eyes, unable to see anything but four foggy figures in the distance.

"Look," Jacob started, turning back towards the girls, his attitude completely shifted. "We can't be friends anymore." Ava had never seen Jacob look so serious and she stepped forward, meeting his gaze.

Ava didn't know if it was the sting of tears or the droplets of rain falling into her eyes, but she blinked rapidly. "Jake, you-you can't say stuff like that."

"Ave-" He began before Bella cut him off, stumbling over her words. "Look, Jake, I know that I've been...hurting you. It-it's killing me. It kills me," she said, wiping at her eyes. "I just need... maybe give me, like, some time or something."

Jake shook his head roughly. "Look, no. It's not either of you," he insisted, seeming at odds with himself.

Bella breathed out in irritation. "It's not you, it's me, right? Really?" Ava felt like she was intruding in on a moment that Bella was having. She didn't know what else to do but just stand there, listening.

Jacob looked desperately at Bella. "...It's true. It _is _me." He moved his gaze to Ava. "I'm not...good. I used to be a good kid. You know I was..." He said almost hoping she'd nod her head in agreement but she was frozen. After a brief pause, he continued,"...not anymore. This doesn't even matter. All right?"

Backing away slowly, he called out once, "this is over." Ava wasn't unsure if he was talking to both of them or Bella specifically, but she was still at a loss.

Bella reached her hand out. "You can't just...break up with me. I mean, you're _my_ best friend." She threw her free hand out towards Ava, keeping her eyes locked with his. "You're Ava's. _We're _best friends, you can't. You promised."

"I promised I wouldn't hurt either of you," Jake recalled. "And this is me keeping that promise. Go home." He gave Ava a pointed look, already knowing that him ending the friendship wasn't something that she was going to accept. "...And _don't_ come back or you're both gonna get hurt."

When that was said, he jogged off towards the group and left both of them to stare at their disappearing forms. Ava turned towards Bella, more questions than answers buzzing through her head. "...What the _hell_ was all that?"

Bella didn't answer and instead turned around, heading back to her truck.

Ava called after her, stomping angrily through the mud and puddles. "Bella! What was he talking about? What secrets? What is going on, and _why_ is no one is _talking_ to me?" She yelled in frustration and Bella turned around, an apologetic look on her face.

"I'm sorry," Bella breathed out after a minute. She sniffled, eyes and the tip of her nose red from the unshed tears, as well as the chill that the storm brought. "I'm so _sorry_."

Ava stared at her, the rain still teeming down. "Let's just...go," she said finally. "When we get home, we have to talk. About everything, Bella, I'm serious. No more stupid...secrets, or whatever. "

She just nodded, sniffling loudly once more and turning around to climb into the truck.

Ava sent a quick look into the forest as she drove home and felt her heart squeeze, thinking about Jake and the way he had spoken. She didn't want to believe that cutting her and Bella off was a choice that he came to lightly, but she wasn't going to accept it. No matter what he said.

When they got home, Charlie still hadn't arrived. Ava was grateful, because that meant the questions on why herself and Bella were soaking wet were avoided.

But the questions on _her_ mind weren't going to be evaded.

She grilled Bella for every bit of detail she could. Ava refused to be left in the dark for a minute longer, fed up with everyone knowing more than she did.

...they're vampires. They're fucking **vampires**? She felt like she was in slow motion when Bella told her that. She laughed at first. _"Seriously? Are you kidding?" I said, chuckling and shutting my eyes. "...Bella, I know you can think of something better than that."_

Then looked at her in disbelief. _I searched desperately across Bella's face, looking for a single indication that she was messing with me but I was only met with her serious expression._

And she finally accepted it, albeit begrudgingly. "_I always thought they were a little off," I said emptily, thinking back to every little thing they ever did or said. "They're...you're not messing with me are you? Because this isn't funny." _

_Bella smiled nervously. "No, I'm not. It's true, I swear."_

The thought that vampires existed was something that Ava didn't want to believe. They were myths, just a story.

Just _stories_.

...and then Bella said that she was Edward's..._mate_? And she wanted him to turn her. Then Ava was completely taken by surprise.

_"You-you want to become one?" I asked baffled. "Why? Can't you be his mate, or whatever, and stay human?" _

_"...I can," Bella admitted, fidgeting in her lap. "...But I don't want to. I want to be with him for as long as I can and...since I have the chance to, why shouldn't I take it?"_

_"Because you're human," I said slowly. "How can you do that? You're just going to live forever and-and what about me? Or your dad? Have you thought about that?"_

_"Of course I have," she defended. "But...you have to understand. If you were in my position, you'd do the same thing."_

_I almost scoffed at her sure tone. "Would I? Would I really, Bella? Because I don't think I would. How can you-you just say you're-" I sighed out, exasperated, sensing that there was no way I'd be able to talk her out of it. "Whatever. It's your decision, I guess."_

_"It doesn't really matter anymore, anyway," Bella said slowly. I could hear the thickening of her voice; she was getting choked up talking about this. "They're gone."_

So for that reason, Ava laid awake all night, pinching herself to make sure she wasn't in some weird, lucid dream.

Nope. This massively rotten day actually happened.

Fucking vampires.

* * *

The following days were very tense. Ava was angry at Bella for keeping this from her, and she was angry at _herself_ because she was afraid to go to Jacob's house.

_Afraid_. Of visiting Jacob.

Ava ground out a sigh and walked back into the house after sitting in her car for twenty minutes. She made eye contact with Bella in the kitchen before tossing her keys onto the counter loudly, brushing past and walking towards the stairs.

"I'm sorry," Bella called out loudly, before saying in a lower voice, "...I'm sorry, okay? I don't know what else you want me to say."

Ava paused at the stairwell, tapping her fingers on the ledge. "I just..._why..._" Ava sighed, looking up and gathering her thoughts. "I don't get why you didn't tell me. Even after he left, you never said anything."

"I didn't think I could," she admitted. "I felt...lost. And alone and I shouldn't have. I had you and I had dad, and I should have told you the minute I could. About everything, vampires, the Cullens..." And in a lower voice she added, "me wanting to turn._ I am sorry_."

Ava let out a slow breath through her nose and pushed back her feelings of complete exhaustion. All this information was crammed into her head and it felt like she was underwater; being at odds with Bella wasn't helping either, it was a strange feeling. The two girls rarely ever got into a disagreement, despite the cumulative time they've spent together over the years.

"I get it," Ava replied, taking a step up the stairs. "...I think. I get the not telling me part but the turning thing, I don't. It _is_ your decision, it's _your_ life. I get that it doesn't really matter now, but I'm still upset about it. And..." She lifted her shoulders in defeat. "I don't know, I've never had the feeling of wanting to spend _forever_ with someone, so I don't know what I would do."

* * *

Favorite, Follow, and Review!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Bella:** I totally respect your decision, but I've already made my own decision.  
**Ava:** That's the complete opposite of respecting my decision.

.+.

**Jacob:** Ava gave me a '_get better soon_' card.  
**Jacob:** I wasn't sick, she just thought I could do better.

.+.

**Ava:** Okay. I don't even have time to tell you how wrong you are.  
**Ava:**  
**Ava:** Actually, it's gonna bug me if I don't.


	10. Chapter 10

Title: The Best Of Times: A Lifetime in a Day  
Chapter 10: Okay, Someone Hold These Horses Because Not Only Do Vampires Exist But My Best Friend Is A Werewolf  
Rating: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
Disclaimer: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
Summary: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. Eventual Paul/OC. No Bella-bashing. Follows New Moon (mostly). _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

Notes: This is mainly an OC-insert story into the films, meaning the Paul/OC will take a backseat for now!

**seasonschange-butpeopledont:** You're too kind, seriously, but thank you! I'm glad you think she's even a little relatable, I didn't want her to turn out too '_Mary-Sueish_' or '_holier than thou_' lol and I'm glad you like the quotes! I think they're my favorite part of every chapter.

first full edit: 07/20/2019

second full edit: 08/16/2019

* * *

"I just don't know why you're hiking," Ava said, gathering a spoonful of cereal. Bella was grabbing a water bottle from the fridge when she replied, "because I want fresh air."

"There's fresh air all around, Bella. It's called A/C," she spoke knowingly, gesturing all around with her free hand. "And you're not the most coordinated. What if you fall and sprain an ankle. Are you _sure_ you don't want me to come?"

She zipped her bag up before leaning over the table slightly to answer, "_I'm_ _sure_. And not three minutes ago you listed off all the reasons why hiking sucks. Bugs, rocks...potential sprained ankles."

Ava feigned a look of wonder and held a hand up to her chest. "You _do _listen."

"I'm heading out," Bella ignored the comment, grabbing her jacket. "I'll be back later."

"Peace." Ava held up her spoon in farewell. "Don't sprain an ankle," she yelled sweetly as Bella shut the door.

_**Now**_ _I'm left with silence_, Ava thought, shoveling another spoonful into her mouth.

After finishing her bowl and putting it away, she worked on some homework. _Then_ watched some TV. _Then_ cleaned her whole room. _Then_ it hit her.

Ava plastered a determined look onto her face before shooting up of her bed. She was going to Jake's. No matter what, she was going to speak to him _today_. Talk some sense into him, hopefully. It had been quite a few days, maybe he finally came to his senses.

It had already been a few hours since Bella left and Ava figured she'd be back soon. She drove to Jake's and pulled into the driveway, taking a small breath before climbing out.

First, she checked the garage. Then, she stood uneasily at his front door and shifted her weight from foot to foot.

_I shouldn't just barge in,_ Ava thought unhappily, _we're not exactly on the best terms_. With that realization, she brought her hand up and knocked; it took a few seconds and she was about ready to turn around when Billy answered the door.

"Knocking?" Billy joked, backing away slightly to let the girl in.

"Trying something new," Ava said weakly, walking inside and glancing in the direction of Jacob's bedroom. "Is Jake…" she trailed off and Billy shook his head. "Left a while ago. I would come back later, he should be back soon."

Furrowing her eyebrows slightly, she took a seat at the table. "If he's coming back soon, is it okay if I just stay? I need to talk to him."

"Would this have anything to with the argument that the three of you had?"

Ava glanced up, surprised. "I didn't-how-"

Billy chuckled, stopping her stuttering. "Jake told me. Said you didn't take it well."

"Of course not," she muttered, lifting her head up and speaking slightly louder, "I just wanted to talk to him today."

He sighed and looked out of the window on the door, uneasily. "Now's not a good time, Ava. Come back later."

"But-" Ava started saying but Billy held up a hand to stop her. "Like I said. Not a good time."

She frowned slightly at his reaction and nodded quietly, grabbing her bag from the back of the chair and moving towards the front door. "M'kay, I'll just...come back."

As she moved towards the door, she had a direct line of vision into the forest through the glass. Ava pushed the door open and as she stepped a foot outside, Billy's hand grasped her wrist roughly. "Wait-"

She didn't get a chance to look at him before she saw a large figure erupt from the brush.

Ava gasped loudly, her heart dropping immediately. The poised figure turned towards her and after a few seconds of its intense, almost recognizable stare, it sprinted in her direction. It jumped and she took a startled step backwards, the back of her foot hitting the edge of the doorway and she swore, _she swore_, she saw a glimpse of Jake. She tripped and fell, kicking her feet to give herself more space between her and...whatever the fuck that was. "What the fu-!"

She felt a sting in her eyes and she turned around, crawling back across the floor and slamming the door shut. "Billy, call the police," Ava screamed, scrambling to grab her phone in her bag. Her hands were shaking vigorously and she wiped at her eyes that were quickly filling with tears. "Billy!" Ava shouted again, noticing he wasn't doing anything.

"There's a bear, or someth-" She interrupted herself to run a hand through her hair to keep the strands from falling onto her face. "...I don't know. I don't know, dial Charl-" Ava gasped again, her heart beating wildly in her chest. For a split second, she thought she was having a heart attack and she pressed her other hand to her chest.

"Ava," Billy said in a quiet voice. "Calm down. Please."

Ava stood from the floor, knees almost bouncing against each other. "Calm dow-_did you hear me_?!" She screeched.

"He's not a bear."

"He? It was-what?" She said breathlessly. "What the hell is-what the fuck is going on? We need to leave!"

"Just...let me explain. Or let...let Jacob..." Billy said, resting a hand on her wrist that held her phone and lowering the arm.

She shook her head. "Jake? He was-I think he's-" Ava widened her eyes as Billy opened the door. "What are you-!"

"Jacob," Billy said calmly as Ava reached forward to shut the door again. She noticed Jacob was standing on the other side, and Billy continued, "Ava, she-"

"Saw," Jacob finished heavily and looked at Ava.

"Can someone, _**please**_, explain what _the fuck_ just happened."

* * *

"So you're a-a wolf? And _Sam's_ a-"

"Shifter," Billy quietly corrected. "They're shape-shifters. They phase into wolves."

"Shifter," Ava muttered, unbelieving. "You phase into...this is-I'm-" She stood up quickly from the dining table, grabbing her bag quickly. "I'm-I-I need to leave."

"Ave." Jacob reached for her and she snapped away from his touch, only stopping when Billy called out as well.

"Please listen," Billy insisted, motioning her to sit back down. Ava stared uneasily at the chair and back at Jake who was still standing up, a pleading look on his face. Ava slowly lowered herself back down.

There was a minute of silence before she spoke, "so those stories at the bonfires. About...about the myths and stuff..." she trailed off and looked from Billy to Jake. "They're-they're actually, _what_, true?"

"Mostly. They aren't the official tribal stories, but they still hold some truth," Billy affirmed, casting a look at Jacob before turning towards her. "This thing. It's meant to be kept secret. No one must know."

Ava nodded dumbly, trying to absorb everything that they had told her in the past hour.

Jacob took a deep breath and cast her a nervous look. "...The pack-they aren't...happy."

"The pack?" Ava said aloud, feeling the strange term on her tongue. "How would they even know? I mean, just don't _tell_ them."

"They kind of...already...know," he said slowly. "They can-_we_ can...communicate with each other."

"Like..." She squinted her eyes. "Mind-reading?"

"In a sense," Billy explained. "But whatever Jacob thinks or-or _thoughts_ that are on his mind when he's phased into his wolf form, they know."

"I saw you," Jacob continued. "A second before I phased back into..._me_. I'm sure they already have an idea on what happened."

"Are they gonna, like, kill me or something?" Ava asked, a nervous chuckle escaping her mouth and looking between Billy and Jake quickly. "...They won't, right? I won't say anything, I-"

Jake gave a small, genuine laugh. "No. They won't kill you," he assured. "They're just not going to be happy at all with...any of this."

She wrung her hands together. "I don't have to meet them, do I? Like some weird, meet-the-parents type of thing? ...Meet-the-pack?"

Jake shrugged. "I mean, I'm sure you'll cross paths eventually, so it'll happen at some point." Ava suddenly felt very self-conscious at meeting a pack. _A pack of wolves-wait no. A pack of shape-shifters_, she corrected in her mind.

"I should go," Ava said blankly. "They're probably wondering where I, uh, where I am. And Bella is probably home by-"

Jacob stood with her. "I'll walk you out..." She nodded and bid Billy a good-bye; they walked slowly to her car in silence.

"_So_," Jake started, looking out towards the dark trees and leaning against the edge of the car. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm…weirdly enough, okay with it," she admitted, glancing at him through the corner of her eye. "After the past month I've had, I don't know if anything will ever surprise me again."

Jake chuckled and took a minute before speaking again, "...about what I said. When you and Bella came over…"

"It's okay," she said, thinking back to Bella and the vampire thing.

Jacob having to keep this a secret was a similar situation that Bella had been in; he thought he was protecting them by pushing them away, and getting angry at him for trying to help would be hypocritical.

"I'm glad," he said lightly, before shoving her shoulder playfully. "Didn't think I'd survive another week without you."

"You wouldn't," Ava said matter-of-factly. "I'm surprised you lasted this long." Opening her door, she kept it open as she started up the car. She turned to Jake. "I should really go."

"Yeah, yeah." He nodded, stepping back before shutting the door. Ava rolled down the window. "...Talk to Bella, please. Soon."

"I will." He ducked his head. "I _swear_, I was going to talk to you and Bella about-"

"Everything?" Ava raised an eyebrow and after a pause she added, "really?"

"Maybe not everything," he admitted sheepishly. She moved to roll the window up before Jake spoke once more, "and…"

Ava looked up after he remained silent, and he held up a finger to his lips. She replied with the zip of her mouth. "Don't worry about it."

* * *

"I'm telling you," Bella insisted, sitting up in her bed with frustration. "Wolves."

"I don't know, dude. Maybe it was just a bear. Or bear-_zzz_."

As soon as Ava got home, she figured Charlie and Harry would be there. They should've been home by now from their fishing trip and after asking Bella where they were, she blurted out that she saw wolves in the forest.

She took a solid hour and a half explaining who they were chasing, and why this was important.

Apparently, Bella knew a whole _horde _of vampires.

"The point is," she said, running a hand through her hair. "Maybe. Maybe…" She drifted off in confusion, unable to articulate her thoughts. Ava tried pasting an apathetic expression on her face as Bella recounted the story over again.

"And-and Harry and dad went hunting...at least, I think. He said he was going to the station but-"

Ava tuned her out, thinking about how she was going to tell Jacob about this whole situation. She didn't think that Bella suspected _shape-shifters _as the wolves but she was uneasy, and after Bella spoke again a wave of nausea hit her. "One of their eyes. It looked familiar, almost like Jacob's."

She choked out quietly, "a-a lot of people..._things_-things have brown eyes, Bella…"

"I know." Bella hefted herself backwards onto her bed, staring at the ceiling. "But it was still..._weird_."

"I should get to bed," Ava said suddenly, standing up from her desk. "Get some sleep."

Bella nodded before a look of recollection passed her face, and she lifted her body onto her elbows to look at her. "You said you went to Billy's, did you talk to Jake?"

"Um," Ava began, stepping slowly to her door and turning around at the entrance, tapping the doorway. "Yeah. Yeah, I did. He's, uh, _good_."

She frowned and lifted the remainder of her upper body to sit up. "Did he, like, ask about me or…"

"He did," Ava nodded, cutting her off quickly. "Said he'd try and talk to you soon, _so_ I'd keep my eyes open." With that said, she pushed herself off the doorway and took a few steps back towards her room. "I'm gonna head to bed."

After flopping onto her bed and getting comfortable, she glanced at the clock; she shut her eyes and willed the sleep she craved to come quickly.

She was getting a headache.

* * *

Favorite, Follow, and Review!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Ava, after finding out Jacob is a werewolf:** You lied?  
**Jacob:** I may have.  
**Ava:** You may have or you did?  
**Jacob:** I may have did.

_.+._

**Ava:** You're very mature for your age.  
**Bella:** Thanks, it's the trauma.

.+.

**Bella:** Are you okay?  
**Ava, clearly not okay:** Yeah, I'm fine.  
**Bella:** What does 'fine' mean?  
**Ava:** It means I'm perfectly content but also wouldn't mind if the sun exploded right now and killed us all.

.+.

**Bella:** Where are you going?  
**Ava:** To either get ice cream or murder Jake, I'll decide in the car.

.+.

_[realizes the doors and windows are locked]_

_**Ava, internally:** Locks are my specialty._  
**Ava:** [throws a brick through the window]

_.+._

**Jacob, thinking about being a werewolf:** Do you know what it's like to be afraid of yourself?  
**Ava, having flashbacks to the time when she ate an entire family-sized bag of cool ranch Doritos in one sitting:** Fuck dude, I sure do.

_.+._

_[leading up, behind the scenes]_

**Sam:** You better be careful, you never know when you'll imprint.  
**Paul, laughing:** That won't be an issue.  
_[next chapter]_  
**Paul:** THERE'S AN ISSUE!


	11. Chapter 11

Title: The Best Of Times: A Lifetime in a Day  
Chapter 11: An Old Friend Makes A Comeback And A Weird Guy With A Staring Problem  
Rating: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
Disclaimer: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
Summary: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. Eventual Paul/OC. No Bella-bashing. Follows New Moon (mostly). _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

Notes: This is mainly an OC-insert story into the films, meaning the Paul/OC will take a backseat for now! 4 reviews for the last chapter!

**angelacorus:** I said Chapter 11, and _here we are_! Chapter 11...I hope you enjoy it!

**Sarah Lahey: **Welcome, welcome! Thank you! I'm glad you're looking forward to this chapter, and hopefully it meets your standards.

**Thethinline: **I'm happy you like the incorrect quotes! Haha they're so fun to make and honestly, when people review saying they like them, I always go on a hunt for new ones for the next chapter lol and yes, my ultimate goal with them is to make people literally laugh

**brankel1:** You're so sweet, I appreciate you commenting whenever you do! :)

ALRIGHT, here's a little background info on how I'm planning on portraying Paul. I'm a _sucker_ for a cute, awkward, 'what do I say or do' relationship for, like, a chapter or two. I imagine being imprinted on is something that's a little tough to wrap your head around, for the imprinter and the imprint...ee? But you can't deny the connection! So, hopefully I did it justice. I will reiterate, _I can't make this sound original, ever. _But I very greatly appreciate the reviews that think I'm doing a good job so far. Or, you know, reviews in general. Plus as a heads up, this chapter is pretty long compared to the others. AND if there are any mistakes, I apologize, I don't have anyone to read over it, just me

first full edit: 07/21/2019

second full edit: 08/18/2019

* * *

The next few days passed by without anything monumental happening.

_Thankfully,_ Ava had noted, she'd had enough things happen in the past month that she wanted zero more surprises.

Embry had taken to talking to her again, though. After she found out about the whole shape-shifter thing, she figured he thought there was no point in hiding out. "Come on!" He insisted over the phone. "It's just _one_. I'll be there, so you won't be by yourself."

She glanced weakly outside. "...It's dark."

"That's usually when bonfires happen," he replied, Ava feeling the eye-roll over the phone. "Please?"

"Embry, I have homework," she tried again.

He laughed out in response. "Shut up, I know you're a nerd. You'll finish it in, like, two seconds. They're going to start the stories soon," he sang enticingly.

"But the-the...pack-or whatever," Ava breathed out finally, revealing the true reason she was afraid to go.

"It's just me today. Just the Makah Tribe...a few friends, I think," Embry answered. "You can meet some people, hear some stories, have some _fun_."

"You're Quileute," Ava pointed out dryly.

"I _said_ a few friends. Have. Some. Fun."

"I've had enough 'fun' the past few weeks, thanks."

He seemed to have reached his patience because he blew out a burst of air into the phone. "Ave, just come on. _Please_. ...I've said please twice..."

"You would keep count," she joked lightly, leaning back in her desk chair and resigned loudly. "..._Fine_. I'll go."

He cheered loudly into the phone and yelled out to hurry. After hanging up, Ava grabbed a jacket since the chill in the air was going to raise substantially being near the ocean.

She bid Bella a swift good-bye, leaving her no time to ask questions and called Charlie at the station to let him know where she was going to be be. The drive to First Beach was a calming one, a direct contrast to her nervous, tingling hands.

After shutting the car off, she squinted in the distance; the blaze of the fire was prominent and Ava mentally cursed Embry. There was _way_ too many people there for it just to be the Makah Tribe and a '_few friends'._ She debated just driving off and feigning sickness when a tapping at her car window snapped her out of it.

"What are you doing?" Embry yelled, cupping his hands over the glass. "Let's go!"

She snatched the keys out of the ignition and pressed them tightly in her hands before climbing out. "You said it was just the Makah," Ava hissed, gesturing quickly to the beach. "That's _not_ just the Makah."

He held his hands up in surrender. "I thought it was. The Quileute are joining us, it seems."

Ava shifted uneasily. "Maybe I should go then. The-the..._guys..._" She replaced the word 'pack' to avoid odd stares from people arriving. "Will probably-"

"Will you quit it with that?" He sighed out. "They're not going to do anything. You're gonna have to see them at _some_ point. Why not just-"

"Jake," she interrupted, darting her eyes to the side. "He should be here to-"

"Help? Ava, come on," he cut off. "I'm here. Nothing's gonna happen, chill out."

Embry began leading her with his hands on her shoulders. "...Easy for you to say." Ava glared weakly at the fire. "They're your.._.friends._..or whatever."

"So, I know them," he insisted from behind the fidgeting girl. "They're not pissed off or anything."

He leaned over her shoulder before continuing quietly, "they're not going to _drown_ you in the ocean. They're just, like-_uncomfortable-_about you knowing the best kept secret. The only one who's pissed off about it is Paul."

"Not so 'best kept_'_," Ava mumbled, quickly approaching the large group.

He moved and slung an arm over her shoulder, noticing Ava's eyes darting around. He rolled his own silently, before speaking, "they might not even come. Sam, Jared, and Paul are patrolling tonight. And Jake is off doing his own thing."

Ava heaved a sigh trying to calm herself while Embry guided her to a woman handing out blankets. "That's Emily. Sam's fiancée."

"Sam has a-" Cutting herself off when Embry jolted her to a sudden stop, and he nodded quickly.

Still a few feet away, he spoke lowly, "don't stare though." She looked at him with uncertainty and he gave her a toothy smile before moving the remainder of the way to the dark haired woman.

"Emily!" He announced.

She turned around, Ava immediately noticed the scars that marred the side of her face and, remembering Embry's advice, her eyes shot to Emily's. They were dark, an understanding look in them before she moved forward. "Embry." She smiled gently. "Who is this?"

"Ava _Belinda_ Swan, the one and only." He pointed to her with his free hand.

Her eyebrows shot up softly and she nodded her head in comprehension. "So," Emily began, her eyes glancing to the side making sure no one was within earshot. "You're the girl?"

"The girl," Ava echoed, unsure what she meant until Embry gave her a knowing look.

She wasn't sure who else knew about the whole shifter thing but since Emily was Sam's fiancée, Ava figured she was one of them. "Yeah, I guess."

Emily smiled sweetly at her. "Ava Belinda," she repeated. "Very pretty."

Ava felt her cheeks warm at the compliment, and she breathed out a laugh before replying, "...thank you. Emily, much prettier."

A smile crossed Emily's face and she turned around, grabbing a blanket from behind. "Here."

She passed it over and Ava took hold of it, feeling the rough fleece underneath. "Thank you," Ava replied again and gestured at Embry. "...We don't all have the internal temperature of 200."

Embry playfully shoved her shoulder before throwing a sudden look behind him. "I have to-" He glanced back at the pair of girls, his hands waving in between. "Be right back!"

He turned around and Ava widened her eyes. "No, wait," Ava whispered harshly, trailing him a few steps and missing grabbing his elbow by an inch. "I don't know-Embry!"

He gave Ava one last salute and grin before jogging off.

After noticing her outstretched hand, Ava crossed her arms and glanced around quickly; her eyes landing back on Emily, who had a smile on her face watching the exchange.

She slowly stepped back towards her, throwing a thumb behind. "Well, he left."

Emily remained silent a few seconds. "...I get this is a little scary. He mentioned this is your first bonfire in a while." She turned slightly to hand another person a blanket, before turning back towards Ava.

"Embry talks too much. But, yeah, a..._while_," she affirmed. "I just...I'm nervous about the...well, everything. Especially now that I know about the whole..." She waved her hand around. "Situation."

Emily turned to to the side, speaking to another woman nearby. "Hey, Sue, I'm gonna go off for a bit. Can you watch the…?" She gestured to the table, piling high with blankets to be handed out.

Sue Clearwater gave Emily and the table a glance. "Of course," she sent Ava a smile when she noticed her standing to the side. "Ava," she said, cocking her head knowingly. "Nice to see you."

Ava nodded while sending her a slightly confused smile, mentally shaking off her paranoia.

She'd always liked Sue Clearwater.

When she was younger and her family would stay a chunk of the summer here, she'd always sneak the girl snacks from the high shelves in Charlie's house with a wink.

As a six year old, Ava snatched the snack, hiding it under her shirt and sharing it with Bella once she ran up the stairs. Ava had known her kids, Leah and Seth, but the two always seemed to stick to themselves.

Well, Leah did. Seth always tried to tag along but his older sister would insist that he stay with her.

"They're great stories," Ava agreed, feeling Emily move to stand beside her. "Is Harry..?"

"Oh no, he should be with Charlie at the station." Sue waved dismissively. "Seth and Leah I'm sure are around, but go on." She held out a hand towards the fire. "Can't miss your stories."

Ava gave a small laugh and Emily bid her a quick quick good-bye, thanking her once more. Emily steered Ava farther into the masses of people and scouted out a place to sit. "The best place is _riiight_ next to the table where they keep the chocolate," Emily muttered lowly, eyes sparkling.

She held back a snort of laughter and Emily threw out the blanket to lay it across the log where they'd be sitting.

She turned and handed Ava the spare. "_So_, the stories are your favorite, I take it."

"Yeah." Ava nodded. "Last bonfire I went to was...three? Four years ago, maybe." She thought back, sitting down and Emily following suit. "When I visited after that, there was never another. Bad timing, I guess, so I'd beg Jake and Quil...Embry, to tell them again."

The conversation flowed effortlessly from there, and she was surprised at how easy Emily was to talk to. Almost like a wise, confident older sister.

_Which she kind of is,_ Ava thought, _she knows way more about all this stuff than I do. _Emily even mentioned that Sue Clearwater was one of the few who knew about the pack.

_"She's a nurse," Emily mentioned_,_ not pressing the subject any more. _Ava noticed her slight discomfort.

"Sue mentioned Leah and Seth. I didn't know you knew them," Emily said, glancing at her.

"Not really," Ava said with a shrug. "They hung around sometimes when we were kids, but we never really became friends."

"You seem to know a lot of people from the rez," she observed.

"Only a few. Jake, Billy, Quil, Embry...Sue, Harry, their kids...and now you, I guess..." Ava ticked off the names. "...And eventually a few more," she added, thinking to Jacob's pack that she was going to meet. Maybe not tonight, but soon.

"They aren't all bad," Emily said, filling in the unsaid blanks. "They're very close-knit."

"Um, Embry said that...some guy..._Paul_, was really angry or upset or..." Ava commented casually, hoping to get a little more information on what exactly was in store for her.

"Paul's a hot-head," Emily replied, rolling her eyes. "Sweet kid when he wants to be...which isn't too often, serious with the pack, and a pain-in-the-ass 90% of the time. He's harmless for the most part, there isn't much he can do now that you know." She looked thoughtful. "Almost tore Jacob's head off when he saw him."

"...Like, _literally_ or..."

She laughed. "_Not_ literally. You're really nervous to meet them, aren't you?"

"I've never met a-a _pack_," Ava said sulkily. "Up until a while ago, I didn't think vampires existed, but now..._werewolves, _or shape-shifters, whatever. ...It's a lot."

Emily hummed. "Seems we can relate on a lot of things."

"You're engaged," Ava said after a beat, remembering Embry's words. "Congratulations."

She sent her a grateful smile. "Thank you. Took a while to convince me," Emily joked lightly, brushing her shoulder against Ava's. "Touchy business...imprinting, that is."

"Im-what?" Ava asked, glancing at her quickly before looking back to the fire. Emily turned towards her, surprised. "Oh, I thought Jake or Billy would've mentioned it at least."

Shaking her head, she continued, "imprinting..." Emily watched the bustle of the people around them, making sure no one was listening in. Not a soul was paying attention, instead trying to find a good spot for the stories that were about to take place. "...Is when a wolf finds their _soulmate_," she explained, saying the word almost breathlessly. "The only person that they want to be with."

"Forever?" Ava asked disbelievingly, and she nodded.

"Dang." Tugging the blanket closer to herself, Ava sighed out, "intense."

"Yeah," Emily agreed. "So, _Sam_ imprinted on _me_."

"Sounds kind of nice," Ava said after a minute, shifting a little closer to Emily to keep the shared blanket from falling from her shoulder. "Having someone who would-what? Do anything for you?" She glanced at the older girl with a questioning look on her face, Emily nodding at her statement before adding, "Sam is...everything. It took me a little while to figure it out but...when you realize how far they're willing to go for you, it's hard to ignore the connection that's made."

Ava opened her mouth to continue the conversation, the idea of imprinting on someone a complete mystery to her, when a loud voice boomed throughout the beach. She glanced around quickly remembering that Embry was still missing and they continued speaking, announcing that the stories were about to take place.

Even though these stories told weren't the true, sacred ones that are passed down generation after generation, Ava enjoyed them immensely. These stories were the ones that are altered. The ones that, when are told, children widen their eyes in wonder.

Just as the final story was nearing, her ears perked up at the noise coming off from an opening of the forest. She looked to the side, leaning over Emily and she followed Ava's gaze.

"Looks like they _did _decide to join after all," Emily whispered, keeping her eyes on Sam.

Ava quickly looked down nervously, digging her nails into her palm. Emily noticed and placed her hand gently over Ava's. "It's okay," she said calmly. "Tomorrow you'll be laughing at how you nervous you are."

"I don't know," Ava whispered, staring at the sand below her feet; she nearly stood up, only managing to hover over her seat in an awkward position causing a few people to look at her curiously. "...I should just go. I'll come back some other-"

"Ava." Emily grabbed her hand and Ava lowered down. "I'm sure Jacob mentioned that you'll see them at some point. It's okay."

Ava tried to steady her breathing as they approached and moved to the other side of the fire. She released her fingers from the tight grip, a determination she didn't know she had overcoming her. Shooting Emily a side glance before turning to the group, Ava saw that her and Sam were staring at each other through the fire, soft smiles on both their faces.

Hearing Embry's laugh echo lowly over the story being told, Ava shifted her eyes slightly over and saw him joking and shoving one of his..._friends_? _Pack mates_? She didn't even know what to think.

Embry glanced up, feeling her gaze, and held up an arm in greeting with an apologetic smile on his face. The others looked puzzled for a second before turning in her general direction, Ave moved her eyes down the line of people and paused when they landed on an angry pair.

The second she locked eyes with his, the anger vanished and Ava swore they grew nearly twice their size.

The guy stood next to him shoved his shoulder roughly, noticing his suddenly frigid frame. Once he caught glimpse of his face, he let out laugh in disbelief that alerted Sam.

That was when everyone froze.

* * *

In the time that this split second exchange happened, Sam's head jerked in Ava's direction and back to the person standing beside him.

As the flames move back and forth continuously separating and merging in the middle of the fire, Ava glanced behind her assuming he was staring at someone else, but she was only met with the rough sound of the splashing waves.

"What-" Emily voiced aloud, looking at the pack in confusion.

At that moment, the story was finished in a dramatic blur and everyone moved to stand up; some were heading home and others were walking towards the table that held the snacks next to her and Emily.

Ava barely registered Emily gently grasp her arm and lift her up. Emily took a step towards Sam and the rest of the pack before Ava stood her ground. "I'm-I don't know if..." Ava said as a wave of nervousness hit her. Suddenly feeling sick to her stomach, she pressed a cold, shaking palm to her forehead.

She backed up an uneasy step and Emily reached for her again, worriedly. "...You look a little-are you okay?"

Once Ava noticed the guys beginning to move towards them, in a fit of panic, she ducked into a huge throng of people. Propelling her way forward, mind racing.

Ava had no idea how to explain anything that just happened or her immediate reaction. Her previous determination had dwindled down to nonexistent.

_His eyes were_…_intense..._Ava's thoughts trailed off, feeling another pang of nausea; she continued shoving lightly at people to make way. Finding a cooler filled with water bottles, Ava snatched one up, pressing the cold surface onto her cheek. She wasn't sure how long she stood there breathing in and out deeply, but once the nausea subsided she was hit with guilt realizing she had ditched Emily out of nowhere.

_I should find her_, Ava thought, _at least my stomach settled. The last thing I needed was to puke on the beach_.

Her eyes darted around and saw that quite a few people still remained, laughing and talking loudly. _Was she looking for me?_ She bit her lip, worried that she had caused any sort of trouble. Ava was surrounded by people so Emily finding her wouldn't have been easy.

She wandered around for a while before she spotted a familiar mop of brown hair. "Embry," Ava breathlessly let out, grabbing onto his elbow. He turned around, a wide smile spread across his face.

Ava furrowed her brows in confusion. "...What?"

"Nothing," he said innocently, looking over the heads of a few people nearby. "Have you seen Sam?"

"No." She lifted a single brow and glanced around. "...Why would I-? Have you seen Emily? I kind of ditched her. She probably knows where Sam is-" After a second, Ava shoved him away with accusatory look in her eyes. "_You!"_ She said. "You said you wouldn't leave me alone!"

He held out his hands in defense and laughed. "Hey, I left you with Emily."

Ava scowled and took hold of his arm again to keep him from going off. "...There are...weirdos everywhere. Your friends, staring at me and stuff. I told you I shouldn't have come. I should've waited for Jake to be here and..." she rambled off, frowning and tugging at a stray thread on her jacket with her free hand.

"Staring?" Embry asked absently, his eyes still darting around. "It's fine."

She leaned her head back and gave him a strange look. "_Fine?_ They're all pissed off."

He barked out an amused laugh. "They aren't pissed. Surprised, definitely."

She shut her eyes briefly and tried to make sense of what he was saying. It was like he was speaking in a different language. "Embry, what are you even talking about? You're talking in some stupid code that I don't understand. Why would they be surprised- "

Embry looked to the side suddenly, quickly shaking Ava off. "Not because of-hey, I'm going to introduce you to someone."

"What?" Ava deadpanned at the quick shift. "No. I'm going home. Everyone is acting weird."

She tried brushing past him but he grabbed her elbow gently before removing it just as quick. "Just, one person." He held up a finger in front of his face as he spoke, pleadingly. "_One_."

She glared at him. "...Fine. One."

He immediately placed a light hand onto her shoulder and steered in the direction that he looked in previously. He was heading straight to the two guys from the pack and Emily, who had her head ducked as Sam spoke to her lowly.

"One," Ava muttered sarcastically. _I swear, I'm never listening to Embry again._

Emily looked up at Sam, leaning into him as they approached and sending Ava a bright smile.

Sam on the other hand, had his mouth drawn in a serious line. He was the only one that looked stone-faced because the other had on a goofy smile, his hand clasped onto the shoulder of another.

Ava tried looking normal as she could despite her nervousness and they finally reached the group.

"Guys," Embry announced. ...A_s if he had to_, Ava noted amusedly. They had all watched them like a hawk.

_But it's still different. They way that other guy stares is on a whole other level_, she thought, glancing at him briefly. His eyes were already trained on her.

"Ava. This is Jared." Embry spoke very quickly. "Sam, you've kind of met before, Emily, and, _this_," he introduced, before brandishing his hand towards the remaining member. "Is Paul." As soon as he finished, he almost shoved the girl forward.

Ava stumbled a step before throwing a glare at him from over her shoulder. All she got in response was an innocent look and a small nod of his head in front of the pair.

"Hi," Ava said finally, looking at all that were introduced to her.

Jared stepped forward first, brushing slightly past Paul and grabbed her hand that was at her side, shaking it quickly. "Hi, Ava," he said, before winking conspiratorially. "Welcome to the family," he finished. Sam rolled his eyes and Emily giggled softly before pressing a hand to her mouth.

Assuming he meant being in on their secret, Ava blinked in surprise at the statement. "...Thanks," she said after a second, sending him a small, grateful smile. He seemed to be the friendliest so far, and she let go of his hand, casting her gaze onto Sam.

"Hi," she said awkwardly. "...You...found Bella," she stated after a few seconds, noticing Jared step back behind Paul.

Sam's expression changed and his eyes reflected amusement, nodding once. "I did."

"Thank you," Ava continued, guilt crawling up after realizing she had never thanked him in person. "I realize it's been a really..._really_ long time but-"

"It's okay." He shook his head and waved away her apology. "You don't need to thank me."

There was something about Sam that made Ava feel like she was speaking to the principal. He exerted such a sense of authority that made her want to sit up straight and follow his command; she could definitely see how he was the alpha in the pack.

Ava stayed silent, a small smile playing on her face before turning to the remaining member.

Now she _definitely _was at a loss.

So far, all this dude had done was stare at her. Ava held out a hand in an attempt to shake his, but after a few seconds she gave him a strange look.

Jared, who was watching the exchange, quickly moved to closer to Pauls' side. "_Paul_," he whispered harshly in his ear and that seemed to snap him out of his trance.

He immediately grabbed her hand before choking out. "...I'm..._hi_."

Ava widened her eyes in surprise, slightly retracting her hand that was still in his. "You're high?"

She could hear Jared snort and even Sam fight a small smile, as Paul sputtered out, "I-no! I'm Paul."

"Oh," she laughed breathlessly. "Uh, sorry."

"No, no. It's totally fine. Honest mistake," he immediately said, almost sounding offended that she was apologizing.

He was still shaking her hand gently and Ava gave their clasped hands a small look. Glancing down once he noticed her gaze, he released it slowly after a few more seconds.

The group continuing staring and Ava shifted nervously.

She was getting a weird vibe from everyone. Almost like they were trying to relay some message that they hoped she would figure out on her own.

Ava didn't know if it was her earlier feeling of sickness, but when she glanced at Paul's dark eyes reading her movements she felt a rush throughout her entire body.

_I think I'm going to be sick_, Ava thought quickly, a hand falling onto her abdomen.

Paul shifted towards her before she spoke quickly, halting his movements. "I need to…" Ava's voice drifted off and she threw her thumb back where she had parked, backing up to stand beside Embry. "_Things_, um...Charlie. I told him I'd be home early."

Emily stepped forward, speaking for the first time since Ava had arrived. "Tomorrow," she suggested lightly, "you should come by the house. Embry or Jake, they can take you there."

Ava certainly wasn't expecting that.

"I-I'll have to check if I can." Emily nodded, her and Sam exchanging a quick look. Ava copied their movements awkwardly and poked Embry's arm discreetly. "Can you walk me…"

Embry widened his eyes and he cast Paul a helpless look, backing up from the girl. "...I have to go help Emily pack up, right Em?" He blurted out, looking at the girl expectantly.

"Yeah, the blankets. They're-they're everywhere," Emily said quickly, gesturing towards the dissipating fire and the blankets that littered.

"Oh," Ava followed her gaze and saw that many people had since cleared out, a few stragglers helping clean up. "I can help if you- "

She shook her head, backing away towards the most mess. "No, no. You get back home, don't worry Charlie."

"Paul," Sam suddenly said, startling Ava. Paul turned back to face him as Sam continued, "walk her to her car. Then come back up here to help."

Ava stared, dumbfounded. "That's okay. My car is just right-" She turned around to point, but Jared shoved the other boy forward. "He _insists_. Doesn't he?"

He pinched his cheek teasingly and Paul shoved his hand away muttering, "fuck off, Jared."

"Really," Ava repeated, glancing between Sam and Paul. "It's right over there, I'll be fine."

"You can't be too careful," Sam asserted, nodding once towards her car. "Go on."

She found herself at a loss again. It seemed that with this group, they were constantly making her wonder with things that they said and did.

First, Emily being so welcoming; she wasn't expecting the worst, but she didn't think that Emily would be so forthcoming with information.

Next, everyone not being angry _at all_ that she had been told about the wolves; their supposedly best kept secret.

Then, everyone _staring_ at her, seeming to know something she didn't.

Ava resigned the fact that Sam wasn't going to let up and instead she took a slow step backwards, waiting for Paul to follow.

Jared shoved him again, laughing and jumping backwards to avoid Paul reaching out to grab him. Sam gave Jared a warning look and grabbed the back of his neck to direct him towards Emily who was already cleaning up, before looking at Ava. "We hope to see you tomorrow."

He jerked his head at Embry to follow and turned his back to walk away.

Embry nodded quickly at Sam, despite his turned back, and jogged a few steps before turning around once he passed Paul. He gave Ava a wink and waved before turning back around, not catching her dull stare at his back.

Paul did catch it, though. He hadn't been able to relax an inch since he saw Ava, his whole body seemed frozen, shoulders raised tautly.

She avoided his gaze, making the connection that his eyes were why she felt so sick. Ava instead concentrated on the edge of his tattoo on his bicep, and took another step towards her car sheepishly. "...We should…"

"You look sick," he blurted out suddenly.

Forgetting her reasoning to not look him in the eyes, she did so surprised. "Um-I…kinda?" Ava answered slowly, ignoring the knot in her stomach. "...I don't know. It came out of nowhere, probably something I ate."

Ava looked at him with a slightly raised eyebrow. "...You-are you? I mean, are you feeling okay?" She thought that maybe he had managed to get her sick, despite their very limited interactions. She had no other way to explain the sudden warmness in her cheeks.

_It's the eyes_, Ava concluded, _maybe it's a wolf thing._

A small, breathless smile fell onto his lips and he nodded quickly. "I feel _great_."

"Are you sure?" She pressed. "You look a little...out of it."

"I've never been better," he insisted.

His attitude seemed to have taken a complete 180 as soon as Ava asked that question because he was suddenly chatting, his shoulder brushing against hers as they walked in the direction of her car. She found herself enjoying the conversation to the point that she had forgotten that this was the '_creepy-guy-from-across-the-bonfire_'.

Once they made it to her car, Ava leaned against the front. Paul stood in front of her, completely interested in everything she said and asking a flurry of questions.

**He asked how she liked the bonfire. **

"It was nice," Ava smiled. "I haven't gone to one in a while. Hearing everything again was really cool."

"Why haven't you-?"

"Time." She cut off simply, lifting her shoulders and meeting his eyes that were still fixated. "Timing was always off."

**He asked how she knew Embry.**

Even attempting to even out his breathing when she smiled instantly. "...I've known Embry forever," Ava continued, laughing slightly. "Jake introduced us years ago, been friends ever since."

"You see him often?" He asked, almost too casually.

It took her a second before replying, "...not really _lately_. This is the first time I'd seen him in, like..." She thought back. "A month?"

"Since he…" he trailed off, the unanswered question hanging.

The first thought that crossed Ava's mind was that he was trying to be a good friend and ask about Embry to relay back to him later. Make sure she wasn't holding a grudge or anything against Embry not speaking to her.

"Yeah, but we're good now," she nodded, reassuring him. "Really good."

Ava expected the opposite effect, but instead Paul looked almost upset and she quickly switched topics.

**Ava asked about patrolling.**

"Um. Someone told me about some patrol-or…" she trailed off, omitting Embry's name as the person who mentioned it.

"What's that like?" She continued, before adding quickly, "if you can talk about it. I'm still not familiar with the whole thing and-and if you _can_ talk about it, but don't _want_ to that's totally fine..." Ava rambled, before speaking lamely after a second, "...too."

Paul perked up before deflating slightly. "It's kind of boring. Just...making sure everything is in order, I guess, on the rez," he shrugged, adding instinctively, "no bloodsuckers." Immediately after saying that, a look of realization spread across his face and he searched her expression for a negative reaction.

When Ava didn't give one, he smiled sheepishly and ducked his head. "I don't know if-I know your...your cousin or something, was…"

She cut him off with a small laugh. "It's, _kind of_, alright. I'm aware of the...arch-nemesis type of thing you all have going on."

As she was speaking, Ava thought that time was passing by very slowly but after a prolonged moment, she shot up from the car. "_Oh_, my god, what time is it." She fished her phone out of her pocket.

Ava frowned, noticing that it had already been a while since they arrived at her car. She ignored the nagging feeling of wanting to continue where she was and gave Paul an apologetic look. "...Sorry. I didn't mean to keep you, or, like, get you in trouble with Sam."

She gestured at the beach where everything was cleared out and just the pack, along with Emily, remained. He seemed to notice the amount of time that had passed as well, turning around and holding up an arm of acknowledgment towards them.

"I should get going," she voiced.

He spun back to look at her. "It's okay," he insisted, "Sam isn't mad or anything."

Frowning, Ava looked uneasily to the group behind him. "...He told you to walk me and then go and…"

"It's really okay," he maintained, "he's fine."

"I _should_ go though," she insisted, regretting not telling Charlie that she'd be home late. Taking a step back, she bumped into the side mirror awkwardly. "Don't want anyone to worry."

He nodded finally, still standing in front of the car. "Yeah, yeah. Just, drive safe and all."

Ava opened her car door, shooting him a final smile; right before she shut it, he walked towards the opening and paused, drumming his fingers nervously on the edge.

"Emily's," he started, clearing his throat, "you don't have to go if you-I mean, if you're not up for it..."

She stared at him for a few seconds, before he tacked on quickly, "but if you _do_ go, that would be good too. Great even. If you want to. Just, you know, be careful...um..." He gestured at her car. "...Driving."

"I will?" She promised, furrowing her eyebrows funnily; he nodded swiftly and backed off to allow her to shut the door.

Looking into the side mirror, Ava glanced back and forth between him and the road ahead. The minute she turned a corner and lost sight, she couldn't ignore the feeling of forgetting something. After checking to make sure she had all her belongings three times, she pushed that feeling to the back of her mind.

Ava was grateful that meeting the pack went as well it did, even though they _did _act a little weird.

Paul was another story. At first, chalking him off as some guy who had a problem with her and eyes that made her feel sick, but after talking to him she found herself actually enjoying his company. His staring still slightly unnerved her, she'd never had anyone look at her the way he had.

Even when she was just standing there, her mind drifting off, he looked captivated and Ava couldn't think of a single reason why.

She arrived home and Bella was in a daze. Despite having enough on her own plate, Ava asked her about it.

Bella waved off her worry, saying that Jacob had finally spoken to her; Ava knew he didn't tell her about being a shape-shifter, since Sam already made his demand that Jacob couldn't physically say anything.

But she still had a feeling that Jacob did..._something_.

* * *

Favorite, Follow, and Review!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Paul:** I never understood why shape-shifters cared so much about their dumb imprints until I got a dumb imprint.  
**Paul:** I only seen Ava for two seconds but if anything happened to her, I would kill everyone on this beach and then myself.

.+.

**Ava:** I'm gonna go. If I leave now, I can get home in time to not be here anymore.

.+.

**Paul:** My future imprint has to be of the utmost logical mindset and-  
**Ava:** _*looks physically ill and avoids him immediately*_  
**Paul:** I want that one.

.+.

**Charlie**: Ava! What did I tell you about staying out past your curfew?  
**Ava:** That I should do it more often.  
**Charlie:** Exactly! Live a little!

.+.

**Ava:** *sneaking back into the house*  
**Charlie, turning around in his chair:** Where have you been?  
**Ava, panicking:** Uh, I was with Bella!  
**Bella, also turning around in her chair:** Try again.


	12. Chapter 12

Title: The Best Of Times  
Chapter 12: Wait, Let Me Get This Straight. First Vampires. Then Werewolves. Now Someone **Imprinted** On Me?  
Rating: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
Disclaimer: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
Summary: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. Eventual Paul/OC. No Bella-bashing. Follows New Moon (mostly). _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

Notes: This is mainly an OC-insert story into the films, meaning the Paul/OC will take a backseat for now! I just hit 50 follows, 42 favorites, and 23 reviews, holy crap.

**seasonschange-butpeopledont:** Really, favorite?! I wasn't sure...I knew _I_ liked it, but it's always a little nerve-wracking posting such a pivotal chapter that pretty much lays out the rest of the story. I'm _so_ happy you say that though! :)

**Lou467:** Thank you! I really hope you stick around and continue to think so!

**Sarah Lahey:** I thought it would be a nice touch, they're all just supportive fools who mean well haha

**Guest:** Thank you!

**brankel1:** I'm glad you think so!

first full edit: 07/25/2019

second full edit: 08/18/2019

* * *

The next day she wasn't actually planning on going to the reservation, still on the fence about everyone's strange attitude the night before. _Then_, Ava caught sight of Embry's grinning face through her bedroom window.

Realizing that this would be a losing fight if she let him in, she stood opposite of the glass and weighed her options; she considered just leaving him outside but he continued tapping annoyingly after she tried shutting her curtains.

"What are you doing?" Ava frowned, regretting every decision that led him to finding out where she lived.

"Taking you to Emily's," he said matter-of-factly, stumbling through her window and flopping onto the bed, unceremoniously. Ava made a disgruntled noise and cocked her hip, pointing at the open window. "_No._ You're leaving."

"It'll be fun," he insisted and she crossed her arms in frustration.

"Oh," she began sarcastically. "Like, yesterday? That was supposed to be fun?"

He frowned and straightened up. "You _did _have fun. You met everyone, they liked you, even _invited_ you somewhere and you're not gonna go? I thought you liked Emily."

Ava knew exactly what he was doing...trying to guilt trip her.

...that's how she found yourself in her car and driving down an unfamiliar unmarked road, Embry fiddling with the radio.

"What's so important?" Ava wondered aloud, watching him from the corner of her eye. "The invite was kind of out of nowhere. And more than a little weird."

He answered absently. "It's a weird thing. Im-" He cut himself off quickly after he realized his train of thought. Ava pressed on. "What?"

Nothing," he answered too quickly. "I, uh, don't know."

"Embry-"

"I forgot," he insisted. "Seriously. And we're here, _so_…" he trailed off, pointing weakly at the house ahead.

She frowned at his answers and parked, Embry almost jumping out of the passenger seat as if it were on fire. "What's with you?" Ava asked, sending him a strange look over the top of the car.

He was staring off into the surrounding forest and he glanced at her quickly. "I have to meet up with everyone..."

Ava's eyes nearly bugged out of her skull. "You're leaving? Embry-" She didn't get a chance to finish because - just like the night before - he gave her an apologetic smile and ran off.

She stood dumbfounded until Emily's voice drifted from behind her. "Ava." She turned around and met Emily's signature, sweet smile.

With nowhere else to go, Ava glanced towards the direction Embry ran off to and stepped towards the woman. She climbed up the porch slowly, looking around. "Your house is nice," she breathed out.

Emily smile widened before motioning her head towards the open front door. "Come inside, you can help me with something," she said before she paused, turning back towards Ava and squinting. "You bake?"

"I _can_," Ava said confused. "Why? Are you baking in here?" Stepping into the house, she was immediately met with a strong, warm scent; she took a deep breath and sighed out. "Whatever that is, it smells good."

"Muffins," she answered softly, moving back behind the counter. "I have a batch in the oven."

Ava followed and pretty soon Emily had her measuring, mixing, and pouring. "How many do you have to make?" Ava asked noticing that Emily was already starting another.

She gave her a knowing look before answering, "I have a crowd of wolves always banging on my door for food. _A lot_."

Ava smiled softly and a few minutes passed, both working in silence. Emily watched the younger girl carefully as she placed the holders into the pan. "...Yesterday must have been strange for you."

Ava glanced up in surprise. "Um...was it that obvious?" She asked, embarrassed that she must have caused a scene.

"No," she answered. "I just know the feeling." She had a strange undertone to her voice and Ava slowed her mixing. "What do you mean?"

"The feeling," Emily repeated. Ava continuing staring at her blankly not quite grasping what she meant. _She had felt embarrassed before? Or dealt with strange people staring at her?_ Ava was again at a loss and instead of answering, she turned back to the bowl.

"Paul," Emily said after a second. "You talked to him for a bit."

Ava raised an eyebrow down at the batter, _that came out of nowhere_. She shrugged slightly, not knowing what to say.

"I guess." She shrugged. "I don't know him that well, but…"

Emily took almost a minute to respond, busying herself with cleaning up around her. "Ava, I asked you to come here to talk…" She said slowly, moving to put the carton of eggs into the fridge. "About yesterday," she finished and leaned against the counter, crossing her arms.

"What?" Ava said, feeling her heart rate speed up.

"Paul…" she repeated again before trying a new approach. "Remember what we talked about? The imprinting?"

Ava furrowed her eyebrows and nodded. "Yeah. The soulmate thing."

Emily smiled encouragingly, clasping her hands together gently in front of her. "Yes. Well, it gets a little complicated when-when you're the person that is imprinted _on,_" she said, giving her a pointed look.

Cocking her head, Ava spoke slowly, "o-_kay_."

"You don't _have_ to be with them but when you feel...actually _feel_, the devotion and-and commitment. Compatibility," she listed off. "You feel almost incomplete when they're not around."

Ava nodded along, confused as to why this was the reason Emily invited her over. "Okay," she repeated. "But...did you invite me over to talk about this? Not that I mind," she insisted quickly. "I like talking to you, but it seems a little…"

"Strange?" Emily laughed at the expression on your face. "I realize this seems like it's out of nowhere, but-" She cut herself off and gave Ava a nervous smile before finally saying, "...Ava, Paul imprinted. Last night." Emily searched her face for a response and it took her a minute.

"Like, on-" Ava started. Emily sent her a knowing look and Ava laughed disbelievingly, continuing, "not on-"

"Ava," Emily sighed out. She shook her head after sensing Emily's serious demeanor. "...No. _No_, no, no, no, no."

Her head immediately felt like it was full of cotton, a sharp ringing echoing in her ears. "I-this is not actually-" _What the hell was going on? What the fuck is in this air that's making everyone act crazy and talk about vampires and shape-shifters and imprinting? And why do **I** keep getting dragged into it?! _

Emily tried placing a hand on her shoulder but she snapped away, trying to gather her thoughts.

_He __**imprinted**__? What does that even mean? _Ava took a few deep breaths to calm down until the ringing in her ears subsided.

She looked up at Emily, a patient and understanding smile on her face. "Is that why he-he kept _staring_ and-"

"I'm sure it's different for any shape-shifter. I'm not too aware of the exact _science_ behind it, but-"

"Can't it be, like, a mistake?" Ava interrupted, desperately trying to think through the situation. "I mean, I'm not anything-I..._why_? What did I do?" She finally choked out.

"Sweetie," Emily said comfortingly. "You didn't do anything. Paul didn't do anything, it just happened. He imprinted."

"On me."

"On you," she affirmed. "But you don't...you don't _have_ to do anything about it now."

Ava looked at her confusedly. "But you said _soulmates_. You're saying he's my _soulmate_, how can I not do anything? Isn't there some rule?"

She gave an amused smile. "No. There isn't a rule. Sam knows a lot more about this than I do, but I do know that you don't _have_ to be with him if that's what you want."

"Emily," Ava said, moving around the counter and setting herself down at the dining table. "What am I-do I..._talk_ to him or…" Emily moved to sit beside her and sighed deeply and spoke, "I can't _tell_ you what to do. You have to find that out for yourself. Just give it a little time, figure things out and then go from there."

Ava wasn't sure what to think after that. Emily tried to get her mind off of things by insisting that they continue working and baking the remainder of the muffins. She moved slowly, random bits of thought passing through her head.

_I was imprinted on._

_I am an imprintee._

_Paul imprinted on me._

_The guy who was pissed off that I had found out about them._

_Was my, _apparent_, soulmate._

It took her a while before she spoke up, "...why didn't you tell me this yesterday?" Emily clicked her tongue lightly. "I didn't think the timing was right."

"Paul still hadn't spoken to you," she continued. "I thought today would be better. Give him some time..._and_ I thought that, _maybe_, the blow wouldn't be too shocking if I was the one who told you."

"Has Paul, like..._said_ anything?" Ava asked with uncertainty.

Emily giggled out, an almost teasing look on her face. "What _hasn't_ he said. He keeps pestering Embry about you."

"Jake," Ava mumbled.

Emily sensed the unease radiating off of her. "He knows. They all went on another patrol last night after the bonfire. The whole 'knowing each other's thoughts' leaves very few things a secret. And Paul imprinting, I assume, means you haven't left his."

She felt her cheeks warm and when the voices of Embry and Jared suddenly drifted from outside, Ava stood up nervously from the table thinking Paul was with them.

Emily noticed her movements. "Can you take the last batch out of the oven, please?" Ava moved behind the counter, grabbing the mitt before reaching for the over door.

When she straightened up, Embry and Jared were snatching muffins from the plate on the counter.

Embry looked at Ava, suspiciously. "Did you make these?" he asked, sniffing one as Jared took a huge bite.

"She did," Emily cut in, reaching over the counter to wipe it down. "Are you guys hungry?" She asked lightly and laughed. "Like I have to ask."

"Miss Ava," Jared greeted, crumbs falling out of his mouth. "Glad to know we have another person to keep us fed."

Ava laughed softly, despite the new information buzzing around in her head and was going to retort when _Bella_ walked in.

Bella had her eyes open in shock. "What are you-" Both girls spoke at the same time and Jared laughed, chiming in, "dang. Looks like the wolf is _really_ out of the bag now."

Emily looked at Bella. "Who's this?" Bella turned to look at her, eyes lingering on her scars and she shifted uncomfortably in the doorway. Ava opened her mouth to introduce the two before Jared scoffed.

"Bella Swan," he replied. "Ava's cousin, who else?"

Emily glanced at Ava, humming, before turning back towards Bella. "...So, you're the vampire girl."

"So, you're the wolf girl," Bella replied, a nervous chuckle escaping her lips. She took a few steps into the house, and Emily laughed softly. "Guess so."

Ava handed Emily the plate of muffins before Emily added, "..._well_, I'm engaged to one."

Emily quickly slapped Jared's hand away from grabbing another. "_Save_ some for your brothers. And _ladies_ first," she chastised, shoving both Embry and Jared lightly before looking at Bella. "Muffin?"

Bella looked at the plate and glanced at Ava before replying, "uh, sure. Thanks."

Jared leaned back in his chair, addressing Ava, "muffin?" He teased, holding one up in his hand enticingly. Ava rolled her eyes slightly, walking around and snatching it from his hands. "_Thanks_."

She moved to stand beside Emily who was leaning against the counter and shaking her head. "Leave it to Jacob to find a way around Sam's gag order."

"He didn't say anything to me," Bella insisted, trying to keep him out of trouble. She still had her eyes trained on her cousin; what the hell was she doing here? First, Ava was flung into knowing about the supernatural forces that surrounded them constantly, and now, she was here having _brunch_ with them?

"Yeah, it's Ava that he phased in front of," Jared said, throwing his thumb backwards towards the girl in question. "But I mean, that worked out eventually thanks to Paul."

Bella gave her cousin another questioning look and Ava pursed her lips together, unsure where to even start. She wanted to pull Bella aside and talk for a few minutes with the stoic brunette but with all the eyes trained on her, she knew that was going to be impossible.

"...It's a...long story," she said after a few seconds. "Really long."

"And complicated," Embry added with a mouthful, holding up an index finger. "Now that he imprinted."

Bella looked even more confused. "What?"

"She didn't tell you?" Jared instigated, a mock surprised look on his face before turning towards Ava. "You didn't _tell_ her?"

Giving him a dry look, she nudged her head slightly in Emily's direction. "I just found out myself."

He placed his hands on the back of his head, leaning backwards on the legs of the chair. "Come on, you didn't suspect it? Even a little?"

"Paul," Bella echoed, turning the attention to her. "He's the one who-"

"Phased, yeah," Embry confirmed, shooting Ava a glance. "That happens sometimes."

"Especially when you slap the shit out of him," Jared added. Ava widened her eyes, looking at Bella. "You..."

She shrugged embarrassingly. "I-I don't know. It just happened. And then he turned into a wolf, I don't know."

Ava frowned and as she was going to say something, Embry spoke up. "It's a wolf thing," he continued the previous conversation, addressing Bella. "Alpha's orders get obeyed whether we want them to or not, so Jake _literally _couldn't say anything. Oh, and check it out," he said, excited that he could explain more about it. "We can read hear each other's thoughts."

Jared frowned, the front legs of his chair slamming onto the ground. "Would you _shut_ up? These are trade secrets. Damn it!" He gestured to Bella wildly. "This chick runs with vampires."

Bella smiled awkwardly. "You can't really run with vampires...cause they're...fast."

"Yeah?" Jared challenged, turning around to face Ava. His arms were resting on the back of the chair and leaning in, he said firmly, "well, we're _faster._"

"I wouldn't know the difference." Ava raised an eyebrow. "I've never _run_ with any vampires."

Jared, content with the answer, lolled his head to the side to look at Bella. "Freaked out yet?

"You're not the first monsters I've met," she said, turning her head towards the entrance of the door as Sam walked in.

Ava straightened up and moved to take a seat at the table. Sam gave her a nod and an almost encouraging smile before turning to Bella. "Jake's right. You're good with weird," he said in passing, walking straight to Emily. "Hey." He smiled affectionately, wrapping his arms around her.

Ava observed silently, trying to replace Sam with Paul and Emily with her.

_I mean, if this is what's in store for me I might as well get used to it_, she laughed inwardly at the absurdity of the entire situation. The change in Sam was instantaneous, doting on Emily and pressing kisses to the side of her head; Ava averted her face discreetly, meeting Jared's that was fighting laughter.

She narrowed her eyes and snatched the uneaten muffin out of his hand, only receiving a playful look as an answer before he grabbed another. She reached over to grab that one as well when Jacob's low laugh reached her ears. Ava froze and saw Jacob shove Paul playfully in the doorway before Paul noticed the object of his instinctive affections sitting at the table.

Paul, mimicking Sam's previous actions, instantly moved in Ava's direction and hovered uneasily before sitting down in the chair beside her keeping a respectable distance away. She wasn't sure what to say and no one else seemed to notice the strange dynamic that now existed between the pair of them.

Looking down at the muffin in her hand and - in a moment of questionable bravery - she nudged her wrist onto his shoulder, offering it.

"Thanks." He stared at the muffin, surprised that she had acknowledged him. Grabbing it from her hand, his finger brushed hers and a rush ran through Ava like it had the night before.

Not knowing if he felt it too, she blurted out what Bella had said before, "Bella said you changed or, like, phased or something."

His eyes widened slightly before ducking his head and nodding slightly. "Yeah. That-I just...it-it happens...sometimes," he added quickly.

"All the time," Jared joked quietly and Paul kicked him underneath the table. He turned to Bella, still standing off to the side. "Sorry," he said quickly, turning back and watching Ava's faintly pleased expression. He straightened his back up, satisfied.

"Probably kicked Jake's ass though," Embry laughed out, his head falling forward when Jacob smacked him from behind.

Ava's eyes widened, flashing them to both boys. "What did you-you got into a fight?"

"A little one," Jacob said weakly. "Like, barely."

Paul shrugged, almost cockily at her, and turned his attentions into grabbing another muffin. "Not a scratch."

She frowned at the thought, not sure why it bothered her so much. Secretly, she ran your eyes across Jacob's form before doing the same with Paul, noting that there were no visible injuries.

Noticing another thing as well, her cheeks beginning to grow warm at the revelation. _He_ _was almost _unfairly_ attractive_.

Ava had eyes; she _saw_ it at the bonfire the night before, but his staring made her too uneasy to have anything else on her mind. The thought of this guy actually imprinting..._on **me** of all people_, was surprising and terrifying. She briefly looked around after a minute, pressing a hand onto a cheek to hide the blush and saw that Bella was stepping outside with Jacob. Ava wanted desperately to follow the pair, their presence being the only one's that she craved out of everyone here.

The one thing she _really_ needed to do as well was to talk to Sam...have him explain more about this imprinting ordeal. Embry shoved the last of his muffin into his mouth. "'Aba, 'ay 'ave you 'ever 'aked for us ufor?"

"English please," Ava said dryly, raising her eyebrows slightly and hearing Paul's low chuckle.

Embry grabbed the glass in front of him, chugging the contents before speaking again slowly, "_I said_, why haven't you ever baked for us before?"

"Because Paul is here," Jared mocked playfully. Paul flung his half eaten muffin at his head. "Do you ever hear what comes out of your mouth? Shut it." And after a second, he added, "you too, Call."

Embry sputtered out, "I didn't do anything!"

"All right," Sam announced, sensing the impending argument.

Emily jumped in, her head pressed into Sam's chest. "Why don't we go to First Beach? Just relax for bit before you all head out and..." she trailed off and leaned back slightly, looking at Sam.

Embry and Jared began to protest, saying that they were just starting to get comfortable before Sam dragged them out the of door by their necks. "We're going."

Emily laughed softly while trailing them, and Ava assumed Paul would follow immediately but he stayed seated.

He cast her a hesitant side glance, and Ava stood up slowly. Instantly he shot up, itching to go outside but holding himself back to wait for her to leave first. It wasn't until Emily called out that Ava walked swiftly out the door, everyone's eyes casting a deliberate look onto the pair.

* * *

Favorite, Follow, and Review!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter: (as a quick note, if anyone ever wants to request a character for an incorrect quote or something, feel free to leave a review/comment or you can inbox me if that's more comfortable)_

**Ava:** No one has a crush on me.  
**Ava:** I am too strong to be crushed.

.+.

**Ava:** So I could bake these cookies at 400 degrees for 10 minutes…  
**Ava:** Or 4,000 degrees for 1 minute!  
**Emily:** No, that's not how baking works.  
**Ava:** 4,000,000 degrees for one second?!  
**Emily:** Ava, no!

.+.

**Sam:** You know what I love about being alpha?  
**Sam, putting his feet on the coffee table:** I can do whatever the hell I want!  
**Emily:** Sam, get your feet off the table.  
**Sam, taking legs off:** Yes ma'am.


	13. Chapter 13

Title: The Best Of Times  
Chapter 13: In Which, Someone Finally Someone Explains Everything  
Rating: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
Disclaimer: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
Summary: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. Eventual Paul/OC. No Bella-bashing. Follows New Moon (mostly). _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

Notes: This is mainly an OC-insert story into the films, meaning the Paul/OC will take a backseat for now! I went up to 64 followers between the last chapter and this one! That's a lot lol and now I'm at 53 favorites and 27 reviews. Thank you to everyone who is supporting the story!

**angelacorus:** Claro, Emily le manda a todos lol gracias por dejar un comentario! :)

**Sarah Lahey:** Haha, I'm actually really excited to see how everyone likes the next few chapters! Hopefully, you enjoy them!

**Guest:** Of course ;) thank you for reviewing!

**UNCORNSANDCOOKIES:** Here it is! I hope you like it!

first full edit: 08/18/2019

* * *

They all immediately walked across the beach, shoving and laughing at each other before tossing a football. She remained back with Paul as Emily followed the group and sat down, keeping her distance from the rowdy trio.

Thinking that it might be a good time to bring up the situation, Ava sighed discreetly before plopping herself onto the sand. _I mean, it's not exactly going to go away._

Paul, reading the situation, sat down beside her and wrapped his arms around his legs loosely. "...Emily talk to you?" He began cautiously, avoiding her eyes for the first time.

"She did." Ava said after a small pause. "I'm still not 100% what it all means...she says Sam'll know more, but…"

He made an amused noise and looked out towards the group. "He makes you nervous."

"Yeah," she admitted. "I don't know, I feel like I'm talking to the president or something."

Letting out a quick laugh, he lifted his shoulders. "You'll get used to it." Realizing his assumption, Paul lowered his gaze onto the sand and rubbed the back of his neck. "...If you're around, I mean."

Ava's mind jumped to Jake and Embry. She thought of Jared's playful attitude. Sam, even though he made her slightly nervous, gave her a sense of silent security. And Emily, so warm and encouraging. They evoked a feeling that she couldn't quite put her finger on; it was a strange sensation and she'd only had this feeling with a select amount of people in her life. Ava had never been great with developing friendships or relationships with others; she liked her circle small but for some reason, she had a tug at her inner-being that this was the right move.

"Yes," she said immediately, shrinking back when she noticed her raised voice. "...If that's fine. I like, you know, everyone and all."

He preened up at her response. "Well, we all want you around."

"I'm glad." She breathed out a small sigh of relief before realizing there was still a conversation they hadn't had. "...But speaking of _we_…" Her voice trailed off, watching his form through the corner of her eye. Ava's previous response seemed to have relaxed him, because he had a nearly blinding smile on his face. "I'll do anything."

Ava turned fully towards him, taken aback at his forward answer. The conversation was too far along for her to back out now. "...What do you mean?"

"I'll do anything," he repeated confidently.

There was a brief pause. She wasn't sure how to branch out from that statement, so she opted to ask another question. "...When you, like, _saw_ me...how did-like, was it _weird_ or-"

He shook his head. "Like...I don't know. It's hard to explain." He shrugged, clenching and unclenching his fist repeatedly. "Like, all the air was punched out of me..." He paused. "...Moving underwater or...something stupid."

She chuckled instinctively when he finished, loosening up her tense shoulders. "So you'll do anything to-what? Be, like, _with_ me or..._near_ me? I'm just confused."

"Near," he replied abruptly. "If you don't want what Emily and Sam have, that's okay. I'll be anything, _do _anything, if it means I can just talk to you." Blinking rapidly at his sudden outburst, Ava was beginning to feel self-conscious under his gaze.

Once she registered what he said, a relieved smile fell onto her face. "...We can be friends...yeah," Ava said breathlessly after nearly a minute. "_Friends," _she repeated_. _She felt all the worry escape her and she puffed out a laugh. "I thought I was, like, chained to you forever."

He watched her expression with delight, her smile warming him beyond anything he could have imagined. "No, yeah. Friends, anything you want," he promised and, as an afterthought, added quietly, "if anything, I'm chained to you."

Ava didn't want to press the issue any further, still relieved. Truthfully, after she learned about Paul's imprinting only two hours before, the whole soulmate thing freaked her out. Ava thought back to the bonfire when she first heard about it from Emily and, at the time, she wished she had someone that was so invested in her that they held her above anything else. And it was _fine_ back when she wasn't the one that had been imprinted on.

She still had her doubts, not accepting fully that he felt this way about her. It just blew her mind. How can someone feel so intensely about another when they barely know each other? Just by making _eye contact_?

Paul remained quiet as Ava stared off, lost in thought. He was grateful beyond comprehension that she had accepted him, even as a friend. Of course he wanted more, he wanted every aspect; he wanted to be with her, not even physically, but emotionally. Having her near calmed him in a way he couldn't describe and, ever since yesterday, he wanted nothing more than to have her close by.

He had rounded on Embry that same night demanding more information, almost desperately. Embry had answered any question he could, knowing that the imprinting was causing Paul to grasp at any connection possible to Ava. Later that night when they caught wind of a vampire nearby, Jake was already aware of the bond that had been made between one of his closest friends and his pack brother. He wasn't happy, to say the least. Thankfully, after him and Jacob being forced to patrol together for an extended period of time, he had calmed slightly.

"Does it hurt?" Ava said suddenly, causing him to jump slightly in surprise. "The...changing, or..?"

"Phasing," he corrected. "...And no. You just get overwhelmed with emotion, I guess." Shrugging before adding, almost embarrassed, "usually anger."

She nodded, trying to keep up. "So, when Bella slapped you…"

"I kind of...lost control," he confessed, before following it up, "but I tried. It's just hard to control it once you're upset." He continued, getting slightly worked up and a serious expression falling onto his face, "...Jacob basically spoon fed the leech-...uh, _Bella_, the answer. Then she started yelling and shoving at Sam about some crap manipulation."

"Bella is...a little weird." Ava breathed out, unable to find another word to describe her cousin accurately. "Sometimes. She can come off a little strong."

"A little?" he said gruffly. "Jacob shouldn't have opened his big mouth."

She furrowed her eyebrows, offense evident on her face. "I mean, Jake told _me_."

His eyes widened at the realization and waved off her statement quickly. "But that's-that's different." She raised an eyebrow, signaling him to continue. "You-I...you know. So it's fine," he managed out, nearly cringing at his _oh-so_ eloquent answer.

Ava wiped the mock look off her face and began laughing. His face dropped when he realized that she was messing with him, slumping down sulkily. "That wasn't funny."

She snorted in amusement. "Yes it was. _Very_ funny."

He opened his mouth to retort when his arm flew in front of her face, catching the football that very nearly hit her at full speed. He glared at Embry and Jared who were shoving each other and yelled out, "watch where you throw the fucking ball!"

Jared shoved Embry roughly. "It was Embry! Can't throw a ball for shit!" Embry scrambled a few steps and pushed him back."It was not! Get your eyes checked!"

"I have great eyesight. You're the _pup_."

"Take that back! Jake is younger!"

Paul rolled his eyes, standing up and pulling his arm back to return it. The ball whizzing so quickly that Ava barely saw it before it hit Embry in the back of the head, much to Jared's amusement. "Idiots," he muttered, ignoring one's yells of indignation and the other's cheers.

"Paul, I didn't-it was Jared!"

"That's what you get for being a dumbass!" Jared pointed, laughing hysterically.

"Shut up!"

Ava noticed Sam wasn't with them and she traced her eyes across the beach, stopping for a second to admire the sunset before landing on Sam and Emily sitting together. She smiled unknowingly, _they really are perfect for each other_. Sam got up slowly, noticing the bickering shifters, and led Emily up with an arm wrapped around her waist. "_Both_ of you, shut it!"

Paul was still standing, his back facing her, and watching the football fly back and forth after they resumed. "Their form sucks," he jeered, turning around to face Ava.

"You want to..." He threw a thumb back. She shook her head, casting a glance behind him. "Football isn't really my thing."

Paul's shoulders deflated slightly and he paused, casting a glance behind him and watching Jared trying to grab at Sam and Embry. It was obvious that he wanted to join them. "...You're not gonna play?"

He turned his head back to her and waved the question off. "Nah…I'm good here." Before he sat back down, Ava wondered aloud, "we're friends, right? You don't have to stay here for me."

He paused his movements quickly. "It's more so for me," he admitted.

She ignored the annoying feeling in her stomach and instead nodded once towards the group. "Go play." He shifted uneasily from foot to foot and hesitated. "I'll be here when you come back," Ava promised. She didn't want his imprinting to have a negative affect on him and his pack, or doing things that _he_ wanted to do.

From what Billy and Jacob had said, being a part of a pack was a significant deal and they held loyalty as one of the most important things within their ranks.

Paul nodded before jogging towards the group and yelling about their 'shit aim'.

After watching for a few seconds, Ava averted her gaze and stared at the ground, grabbing fistfuls of sand and watching it slink out of her fingers. She wasn't sure how long she sat there, the sunset fading and being replaced by a dim light. She noticed someone walk up to her and sit down. She assumed it was Paul. "I thought you were going to play."

"I was playing."

Ava's head jerked up, recognizing Sam's voice and feeling her cheeks grow warm. "I'm sorry, Sam. I thought you were..."

He smiled softly and shook his head. "No, just me. But," he said, beginning to get up. "If you want me to play."

"Wait." She nearly reached out, rushing out her next sentence. "I need to talk"

His small smile widened and he lowered himself, staring down the beach at the guys roughhousing. They were laughing and shoving, _probably trash talking_, Ava thought to herself. Embry and Jared at this point noticed their pack leader was sitting with her.

They seemed to have ganged up on Paul in a second and were shoving at him. From where she sat, it looked like he...she squinted..._it looked like he just flipped them off_, Ava laughed aloud. Paul turned in her direction and held up an arm in greeting, a smile on his face.

She replied by waving slightly and he looked like he was going to call out until Embry decided to jump on his back, distracting him.

"Emily spoke to you." Sam stated, noticing the exchange.

"About the imprinting thing?" Ava asked uneasily, wringing her hands together nervously. He nodded once and she sighed heavily. "She did. But she said that you'd know more than she does."

"Imprinting," Sam began the long-winded explanation. "Is something that shape-shifters go through when they meet the person they intend to spend the rest of their lives with."

"When they imprint, he becomes _solely_ invested in that one, single person, becoming unconditionally bound. Everything becomes secondary, even their own pack becomes secondary. Whatever that person wants or needs them to be, will be what he will strive to become," he continued. "The feeling is instant, the moment that he sees them is when the connection is made."

She listened closely, questions immediately buzzing around her head. _What happens if the person they imprint on doesn't want to be with them? Do they just...die? What about if _I _die, what happens then?_ Ava settled for the easiest one.

"You keep saying 'he'? Aren't there girl..." Her question trailed off and Sam heaved a sigh. "That's complicated. We've never had a female shape-shifter. As far as we know, it's impossible. And if we _did..._there would be no information if she's capable of imprinting. Or if she can be imprinted _on_. It would be a matter of time, I suppose."

"So then Paul...without a doubt…"

"Imprinted. On you," he affirmed, casting the younger girl a glance. "It wasn't anything you did or said. It's involuntary, we aren't able to choose."

_Involuntary._

"So he's, like, what? A definite soulmate? Or am I _his_ soulmate?"

"Basically," Sam said bluntly, not missing a beat. "Paul will become whatever you want him to be. He will be bound to you until the end of his time."

"What about me? What happens if I don't..._want_ to be bound with someone forever."

Sam cast a thoughtful look at the girl before answering, "it's ultimately your choice. But know that Paul will be content with what you choose. He mentioned being friends?" She smiled in confirmation and Sam nodded. "Good."

"Does it hurt him?" She asked. "Like, when you're not close to the person-"

"Not physically," he explained. "It's more of a feeling of heavy gravity. Pushing them to be near when they aren't close enough."

"Emily," he admitted, continuing on. "Refused me at first. It hurt. Knowing that she held so much anger in herself and it was because of me. It all bubbled down to one night when I hurt her. I phased too close out of anger, caused her to..." He didn't say anything else, but the unfinished sentence was quite clear. He was the reason Emily had her scars. Ava wasn't sure what he meant, being the cause of Emily's anger in the past, but she didn't want to press the subject.

_So being too close to them when they phase can hurt someone?_

"Spent every minute with her while she was in the hospital and while she was there something changed. I guess she...wore down?" He chuckled softly after a few minutes of silence, thinking about Emily. "Point is, she gave me a chance. Realized how she felt and I never once have taken that for granted."

Ava remained silent, thinking about everything that had happened within the past few weeks. Her life had never been very interesting until this point; now she found herself thrust into a world of supernatural beings, and being the imprintee of a shape-shifter.

And she had no idea how to deal with it.

* * *

Favorite, Follow, and Review!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Sam, trying to get Paul and Ava together:** I'm just gonna nudge the two of them together. Just, nudgey-nudge-nudge.

.+.

**Ava:** I just wanna be friends.  
**Paul:** ...plus a little extra. Also, I love you.

.+.

**Jared:** You're my best friend. Last year we shared a toothbrush.  
**Paul:** I was not aware of that.  
**Jared:** We did.


	14. Chapter 14

Title: The Best Of Times  
Chapter 14: Tracking Down A Vampire And Why The Fuck Did I Do That  
Rating: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
Disclaimer: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
Summary: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. Eventual Paul/OC. No Bella-bashing. Follows New Moon (mostly). _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

Notes: This is mainly an OC-insert story into the films, meaning the Paul/OC will take a backseat for now!

**Sarah Lahey:** I'm glad you're looking forward to it! I don't know, I feel like it's kind of hard to hide the fact that someone imprinted. And Bella finds out in this chapter, nothing insane!

**brankel1:** Thank you! :)

**Love**.**Fiction**.**2019:** I'm glad you think so! I hope you continue to enjoy the story!

first full edit: 08/19/2019

* * *

"So you're just hunting her down? Is that...safe?" She wondered uneasily. "What if someone gets hurt?"

Paul scoffed haughtily. "That leech doesn't stand a chance. Took one out a week ago."

After leaving the beach and making it back to Emily's, Ava realized it was beginning to get a little late. When she tried to leave, amongst the numerous protests of everyone in the house, Paul insisted that he accompany her back.

_"I don't know. I mean, if you go with me, you'll just have to walk all the way back by yourself."_

_"Well, we're friends?"_

_I held back a burst of laughter when I saw his genuine expression. "Be honest, exactly how many friends have you had because that sounds a little insane."_

_Quickly whipping into the driveway, I climbed out, slightly unnerved. Paul seemed to be acting the same way; from I can see, he's hovering uneasily. _

_The casual and playful attitude that had been present before dissipated slightly. I quickly spoke up to alleviate some of the tension. "...This wasn't just some weird way to find out where I live, right?"_

"The one in the forest." Ava nodded, recalling the conversation that Bella had with her after her hike. She pursed her lips before asking uneasily, "you just...killed him, or...?" Jacob never mentioned the vampire, and after Bella explained the speed of them Ava just assumed that he had gotten away.

Paul shrugged nonchalantly, not bothered by the topic in the least. "Yeah. Just had to catch him first."

Ava wasn't sure what to make of that. She was newly aware of the rivalries that vampires and werewolves seemed to have, but not really to what extent. Jacob had only briefly told her about the treaty and that being the sole reason that the pack hadn't hunted down the Cullens.

Noticing her sudden discomfort, he tacked on, "the one's that are a threat. That's actually what we do when we patrol." He remembered her question at the bonfire. "Make sure everything's running smoothly."

"How long will you be tracking?"

He heaved a sigh and lifted his shoulders. Sam had informed them that with one of the leeches out of the way, they needed to find the redhead. She had been spotted uncomfortably close to the reservation, and Sam wanted her gone. "Whenever we find her, I guess. Sam's in charge."

"So, a long time then?" Ava voiced.

"I think you're underestimating how good we are."

Ava held back a laugh at his petulance. "We'll see then. I'll _time_ how long it takes you to come back," she said without thinking.

"Won't be long," he promised, satisfied with the response before glancing over her shoulder and scanning the landscape. "...You're good here. Nothing'll happen."

She was going to ask what he meant by that when she was interrupted with the sound of a familiar red pickup; Bella and Jacob parked in front of the house and made their way towards the pair of them. Jake and Paul nodded once at each other before turning towards the girls. "Don't worry," Jake said firmly. "We've got this place covered. She won't get near you guys, or Charlie."

Ava realized Paul was talking about Victoria earlier and she reached up to her necklace, unknowingly tugging. Now she was nervous, recalling Bella explaining how James had gone to enormous lengths to get to her. She wasn't sure how much danger she was in exactly...but now that she was living with Bella and Charlie...and Paul, a shape-shifter part of a pack that was hunting her down had imprinted, Ava was unsettled.

Bella fidgeted with her fingers. "Look, you have to be careful. She's fast, you don't know how fast she is."

"You two really are related." Paul blew out, annoyed.

"You know, your lack of confidence in us is a little insulting," Jake remarked, giving her a small smile. Bella just scoffed lowly at him and Jake nodded his head once at Paul. "We'd better go."

Paul looked apprehensive but agreed. "You have to?" Ava tried asking cooly, but the whole situation was beginning to worry her. _It's just one vampire,_ she thought, _how hard could it be?_ _They already got one._

"Yeah," Jacob answered, glancing back and forth from Ava and Bella. "Got a vampire to kill." Bella looked down, accepting the answer, and she turned slowly to walk to the front door.

Jake motioned his head towards the street to Paul who looked still looked hesitant. Ava wasn't sure what possessed her, but it was almost instinct or...gravity, ironically enough...but she moved forward and wrapped her arms around his instantly frigid frame.

Just as quickly, she pulled back and brushed past him, moving towards the front door while mumbling a quick goodbye. Ava shut the door quietly behind her, immediately meeting Bella's inscrutable expression.

"...what?" Ava hissed, defensively.

"Nothing," she replied. "We just have a lot to talk about."

* * *

"So, the way I see it is, it's like vampires finding their mate?" Bella compared. "Like Carlisle and Esme?"

"Or Sam and Emily," Ava pointed out quietly. "I think they're a...better example."

Ava had been explaining everything; from finding out about Jacob being a shape-shifter, to the bonfire, and being unwillingly imprinted on. Speaking to Paul that day definitely put her at ease, knowing he didn't expect anything more than a friendship. Plus, Sam approaching her to give a clearer understanding on Paul's end of everything was comforting.

Bella took things a lot easier than Ava had thought she would. Apparently, Jacob had mentioned the imprinting in passing earlier that day when they went on their walk. He hadn't gone too into detail with her, Bella observing immediately that Jacob seemed on edge talking about the topic. Thankfully in Bella's case being with a vampire really lessened the impact of most things that people would find shocking.

"What does that mean for you, though?"

"Well, I can't exactly turn into a werewolf," Ava joked, trying to alleviate the tension.

Bella cracked an uneasy smile. "...Is this what you want?" Ava lifted her shoulders half-heartedly. "I don't know. You fell in love with Edward in, like, a day."

She frowned, furrowing her eyebrows. "That's different."

"How?" Ava wondered. In her opinion, Edward finding his mate in Bella was pretty much the same as Paul imprinting on her.

"It just is," Bella insisted. "This life is...it's dangerous, Ava."

A brief pause settled.

Ava scoffed lowly. "Do you hear yourself? Bella, you're being a little hypocritical."

"How?" She asked, a genuinely confused look on her face. Ava stood up from Bella's bed and crossed her arms, Bella's expression being the last straw. "Bella, you were _dating_ a vampire. You were basically engaged to the guy, and he was turning you _into_ one. _How_ is Paul imprinting on me more dangerous than what you were doing?"

"You weren't supposed to-I didn't want you getting involved," Bella reasoned, keeping her voice even. "You weren't supposed to find out about any of this."

"But I _did_." Ava threw her hands in the air, exasperated. "I _did_ and you telling me that this is dangerous just makes _you_ sound like an idiot."

"Ava-" Bella frowned, standing up from her desk. Ava shook her head and walked towards the door. "No. This isn't fair. You sound so-"

"I'm sorry." Bella rushed out in a breath. "...I didn't mean to-I'm worried, okay?"

Pausing at the door, Ava shifted for a few seconds before turning on her heel to stare at Bella. "I'm sorry," Bella repeated. "...Really. Can you just..." She gestured to the bed. "Sit back down. ...Please."

As much as she was a fan of dramatics, fighting with Bella didn't seem like a good idea at the moment. Letting out a heavy sigh, Ava plopped herself back onto the bed.

_"I_ know that _you_ know, what you're doing," Bella continued carefully after a beat. "I just...can't see you get hurt. You're already in danger because of me, and-and dad's in danger, and I'm just trying to help."

Ava began fiddling with a loose thread in the duvet. "I get that." She wound the thread around her finger tightly. "...I'm doing the same, but you can't write off _my_ choices by saying they're dangerous, when your's are nearly identical."

She nodded slowly. "I know..."

"Nothing is even...I don't know what I'm _doing_, Bella," Ava confessed finally, looking up and revealing how she truly felt about the situation. She didn't want to admit it but the way she had been acting...it was starting to feel like a crush. "I feel like knowing this is making me act weird."

"You did hug him," Bella said pointedly. Ava scowled at her before turning her attention down to her hands in her lap. "I know I did. That's what I'm _saying_."

"Imprinting." Bella pursed her lips. "...So, Jake is...or-or _has_ he..." Bella frowned, inclining her head down. Ava furrowed your eyebrows. "You didn't ask?"

"I didn't...I don't know," she squirmed. "I don't really want to know."

Ava frowned and after a beat of silence, she spoke, "I don't think he has. Imprinted, I mean..." She added emotionlessly, "...considering how he is with you. If he _had,_ then he wouldn't be...you know."

"What?"

Ava narrowed her eyes sharply at her. "You know, Bella."

Bella looked down sheepishly. "...Yeah. You said that the..._moment _Paul saw you, he felt it. But maybe it's not that way with every werewolf? Like, maybe it takes a while." Bella sounded almost like she was trying to convince herself.

"Sam said it was involuntary. I don't remember if he said it was instant," Ava recalled slowly. "But, I don't know."

There was a pregnant pause before Ava looked up again, requesting quietly, "...Bella, you shouldn't..._lead_ Jake on. You know he likes you. A lot." Despite the promise she had made to Jake about not telling her how he felt, Ava knew it was far too late to keep such things to herself. She knew there was no way that Bella didn't at least suspect something.

"I do," she insisted vehemently. "And-and maybe I don't know what I feel. When I'm with him, I feel alive. After…"

"Edward," Ava finished.

"Exactly. And he's gone. So, maybe I can make myself feel something for Jake, he's _better_ for me right now."

Ava sighed heavily. She had no idea what to do; on one hand she wanted to smack some sense into Bella for trying to force feelings and on the other, she thought that _maybe_ Bella could feel something for Jake. Even if it _was_ eventually.

"Just...don't do anything to hurt him," Ava implored. "...Please, Bella. I've known him-_we've_ known him a long time. He's one of my best friends and you're like my sister. I don't want to pick sides if things go wrong."

"There won't be any sides," she reassured. "I know what I'm doing and if I can help it, no one is going to get hurt."

* * *

Favorite, Follow, and Review!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Bella:** You've been through a lot recently, how are you feeling?  
**Ava:** Hold on, let me get my mood ring.

.+.

**Paul:** You're everything I could ever want.  
**Ava:** You must have depressingly low standards.

.+.

**Ava:** Paul is the worst thing to ever happen to me. All this pressure from everyone to be together is really wearing me down and I just want everyone to shut up. It's like he was created to mess up my life, specifically.  
**Bella:** You just doodled 'Ava Lahote' all over the back of your notebook.  
**Ava:** Irrelevant.

.+.

**Paul:** I know you think my judgement is clouded because I like Ava a little bit.  
**Sam:** You drew your wedding invitation.  
**Paul:** That's our joint tombstone.  
**Sam:** My mistake.


	15. Chapter 15

Title: The Best Of Times  
Chapter 15: You've Got To Be Kidding Me, I Just Met This Guy  
Rating: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
Disclaimer: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
Summary: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. Eventual Paul/OC. No Bella-bashing. Follows New Moon (mostly). _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

Notes: This is mainly an OC-insert story into the films, meaning the Paul/OC will take a backseat for now!

**angelacorus:** Quién sabe? Todo podría pasar! ;)

**Sarah Lahey:** _Yeaaah._ Truth be told, when I originally read the books years ago that didn't even cross my mind _but_ looking back now, it was very obvious and I plan on continuing to call Bella out on it haha

**vampireharrypretty:** Here is an update! I hope you enjoy it!

**LoveFiction2019:** :))

**brankel1:** Thank you so much!

first full edit: 08/19/2019

* * *

Ava stopped counting the days she was disappointed upon getting home. She kept expecting Jacob to be there and waiting, finally back from the hunting trip. And by extension, she half-expected Paul.

Every time her thoughts crossed to The Instinctive Hug, as she'd coined it, she felt a pressure in her chest; feeling his nearly unbearable heat pressed close was comforting in a way she couldn't explain. Ava honestly didn't know what was happening, and with Bella trying to act as normal as possible despite desperately missing Jacob, she was worried that she'd go back to that Second Story Window. Both figuratively and literally.

Long story short, Ava was a nervous wreck. She was hoping that the fact that they were taking so long meant that they were closing in on the vampire and pretty soon she wouldn't be a problem. Ava'd never been an advocate of killing anyone, but murderous vampires hell-bent on revenge seemed like a good exception. She was frustrated with the lack of information she had, and that's how she found herself standing in front of Emily Young's door. That, and it was Spring Break, and she wasn't keen on sitting at home wondering where everyone was.

She shifted uneasily, waiting for the nervousness to ease back before she actually knocked. Taking a deep breath, she rapped her knuckles quickly and stepped back, the door swinging open and Emily's face popping through. Upon realizing it was Ava, a smile immediately crossed her face and she ushered her inside.

"It's quiet around here," Emily commented after handing Ava a glass of water and sitting herself down across from the girl.

"Yeah?" Ava replied, glancing around slowly. "...Seems like it."

Emily took a second before responding carefully, "are you okay?"

Ava stared into the older girl's eyes, startled that she had noticed her demeanor. "I'm fine." She smiled tightly. "Just...Bella's worried and stuff. I actually came to see if you knew anything. I mean, I figured with Sam and all you'd know more than I would."

Emily gave her an inquiring look before responding, "I don't. If they had the chance I'm sure they'd all be back here."

"Ah," she replied lamely, now embarrassed that she had come here in the first place. Emily continued looking at her, worry evident in her eyes. "Ava, are you sure you-"

Ava cut her off, already knowing the question, and traced the edge of the glass. "I have no clue."

"Sam said you spoke." She mentioned. "You and him and...you and Paul-"

"I hugged him," Ava blurted out before shutting her mouth quickly. Emily jumped at her outburst and laughed lightly after she realized who she was talking about. "...Is that it?"

"Yes," Ava said quietly before finally releasing her thoughts into the open. "And now I feel weird. Like, when I did it, I didn't even think about it and right afterwards I got the same feeling I had when I left the bonfire. Like I was forgetting something."

"And now, I'm really worried. Not just for Jake, but for Paul-_everyone _really. I don't know. I don't know how fast vampires are or anything. I mean, Bella _barely_ told me about them, like, a _month_ ago and I'm confused how you even _kill_ one, because I'm assuming garlic doesn't actually do-"

"Ava." Emily interrupted, nodding her head slowly. "Take a breath."

Ava paused before doing as she said, Emily watching with a pointed look. "Good."

"Now, you say you're worried," she continued and Ava nodded, her hand finding her necklace and playing with the small charm. "That's normal."

"Is it?" Ava sighed heavily, shutting her eyes for a split second. "Because I don't even know Paul. We've talked, but I don't actually know anything about him. Just that the imprinting or whatever makes me feel like I should be around him all the-"

"Wait, wait, wait." Emily cut off again and held up a hand. "The imprinting is what?"

Ava gave her a confused look before answering, "making me feel worried and, like, I should be around him or something?"

Emily looked dumbfounded at young girl's statement and let out a breathless laugh. "...The-? It doesn't actually affect you."

Ava squinted uneasily. "What do you mean?"

"It affects Paul," Emily explained, a patient smile on her lips. "It doesn't _technically_ affect you. _Him_ imprinting means he constantly wants to be around you. And with you...well, that-that's just you."

"So I'm…" Ava trailed off.

"Worried. But those are your feelings," Emily affirmed. "...Why did you think that?"

"...I don't know." She lifted her shoulders blankly. "I just thought that maybe it was a side effect or something that no one told me about."

"It's not." Emily giggled out unconsciously. "But I know how you feel. When Sam isn't around, I feel the same way."

Ava remained silent as she spoke. _They're my own feelings_, she thought, _so...what? I _do_ have a crush?_ "That's impossible," Ava mumbled quietly, catching Emily's attention. _We just met._

"What is?"

"How did it happen to you? I mean, how did you feel towards Sam? What do you feel now?" Ava said suddenly, overcome by confusion.

Emily smiled softly before speaking, "It just...happened. I'm not sure how to really explain. We definitely weren't friends at all when we met, but after, well..." She gestured slightly to the side of her face. "...I realized that we were really just two halves of a whole."

"What does that mean?"

"I've said this to you before," Emily remembered. "Once they imprint, it's hard to ignore how devoted they are. And from _my_ own personal experience, everything fell into place once I let him in."

"So am I just supposed to-to _let him in_ too or…?"

"Ava, that's up to you. The two of you will be whatever you want to be, if that's friends then just _let_ yourselves be friends. But don't deny it if something stems from that."

"It kind of feels like it already has." Ava admitted finally, both to Emily and herself. "...I think I have a stupid crush."

* * *

Coming to the realization that she had a _teeny_, _tiny_ crush on the shape-shifter that was basically in love with her because of his imprinting was surprisingly easy. Ava was expecting a reaction much like the one she had when she found out that Paul had imprinted, but speaking to Emily put her at ease for now.

She wasn't sure what she was going to do when she actually _saw_ him in person, whenever that might be.

Ava was watching the TV blankly trying to ignore the feeling in her chest again when Bella practically tumbled down the stairs in a hurry. "...Dude, are you okay?"

"I'm-I'm good," Bella mumbled quickly, grabbing her keys from the counter before turning back to shout, "great!"

"Um-" Ava said unconvinced and Bella shook her head quickly. "I'm fine, Ave. I-I'm going to head t-to...drive around."

She raised a doubtful eyebrow. Bella looked frazzled. "Okay. Um, I can go with you, if you-"

"No," she blurted out. "No, I'll be back in, like, an hour. Tell dad if he gets home before I do." And with that, she rushed out, Ava blinking after her for a few seconds after the door slammed shut.

"What the hell," she said loudly, her voice echoing throughout the empty house.

_I should be the one acting crazy,_ Ava thought funnily. _Vampires exist: check. Shape-shifters exist: check. I was imprinted on by an aforementioned shape-shifter: check. And now, I had a crush on him: check._

She turned back to the TV and continued watching whatever cheesy, rom-com that was playing, falling asleep once the ending credits began playing.

* * *

_BANG, BANG, BANG._

Ava's eyes snapped open, mind trying to catch up to the rest of her.

_What the f-_BANG, BANG, BANG.

Jumping up, her heart began to race involuntarily at the noise. The house was almost completely dark, only illuminated by the dim, bluish hue that the moon brought.

She got up after a second and stopped in her tracks when the knob began jiggling, someone obviously, desperately, trying to come in. _Charlie and Bella have keys...maybe Jacob or-or Paul_, Ava thought, her stomach in a nervous knot. Closing in on the door, she tried peering through the blinds discreetly. She didn't see anyone and took a step back, patting her back pockets to find her phone and call Charlie, thoroughly freaked out.

When she didn't find it, she cursed inwardly assuming she had left it in her room. Staring up at the dark stairwell, she was too afraid to move to the light switch and opted to just head up. _Come on. Don't be a baby, they stopped knocking_.

Ava creaked up, never realizing how much noise the stairs made until she was actually trying to be quiet. Reaching the top, she kept a hand on the banister and eased her way closer to the outline of her bedroom door, eyes darting around as if she'd see a ghost. She could feel her hands trembling as she felt for the doorknob, only to find that the door was wide open.

_Okay. I know for a fact that I closed this door, what the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuckkkk._

Now she was frozen, standing against the wall next to her doorway. Her mind was simultaneously completely blank and flashing through half a million scenarios. _Okay, calm down-_

Despite the darkness, Ava saw the outline of someone slinking out of Bella's doorway and she screamed.

* * *

Favorite, Follow, and Review!

End of chapter notes aka notes that I don't want to give away at the beginning: We're nearing the end of New Moon! And can anyone guess _who_ is in the Swan residence at the end of this chapter? Hmm.

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Emily:** Admit it, you like Paul.  
**Ava:** Come on, I mean, am I attracted to him? Sure.  
**Ava:** Do I feel better when I'm around him? Yeah.  
**Ava:** Does he get me in ways that no one else does, despite barely knowing him? Indubitably.  
**Emily:**  
**Ava:** But do I like him? The answer is...no.

.+.

**Ava:** I do not have a crush on Paul!  
**Ava:** He's just someone I think about all the time and when he's not here, it ruins my entire day.

.+.

**Emily:** Love is in the air!  
**Ava, spraying a can of Febreze and holding her shirt over her nose:** Not anymore.

.+.

**Charlie:** I want you guys to be safe if there's ever an intruder and I'm not home. For self-defense reasons, I'm going to pretend to be a burglar and you have to act wisely.  
**Bella:** Okay.  
**Ava:** Sure.  
**Charlie:** If you want to live, give me all your money.  
**Ava:** Bold of you to assume I have money.  
**Bella:** Bold of you to assume I want to live.  
**Charlie:**


	16. Chapter 16

Title: The Best Of Times  
Chapter 16: Dude, _You_ Just Broke Into My House And _You_ Broke My Front Door  
Rating: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
Disclaimer: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
Summary: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. Eventual Paul/OC. No Bella-bashing. Follows New Moon (mostly). _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

Notes: This is mainly an OC-insert story into the films, meaning the Paul/OC will take a backseat for now! The next few chapter after this are kind of short...just a heads up! This one is pretty long-ish, compared to my other chapters.

**Sarah Lahey:** I'm glad you liked them! Haha, I feel like, _I_ know who _you_ think it is. Do you think it's Riley or Victoria? Because it's not eiitherrr~ It's a much friendlier face.

**brankel1:** You'll find out right about now!

**Guest 1:** Thank you! As I said, it's all written, so it's just a question of when I have time to go over the chapters and edit them to post them! I''m glad you like the characters! :) I try, but sometimes I question myself.

**Jane:** I really appreciate your review! I've always liked the more '_insert the OC into the storyline_' and developing the character with the other characters. Hmm...guess you'll have to keep reading to find out haha Ava just has a conflicting little crush. And you'd beeeee...

**Guest 2:** Hmmm. I guess you'll find out...but *hint* you're right ;)

**Amy:** The way he's described, I can see it. It'd all work except for the hair, that is, haha

**Guest 3:** Fun fact: I actually _love_ that name haha I never really thought of it as old-fashioned but I wanted to insert it somehow, since I think it's a good name to follow up Ava! Plus I knew I wanted her to have a middle name, and I didn't want to name Ava, Belinda. Sooo, Ava Belinda Swan, it is!

**LoveFiction2019:** Thank you!

first full edit: 08/19/2019

* * *

Ava nearly flung herself over the edge of the banister just to get away from the shadow upstairs, but in a split second the light was flicked on and she was met with a familiar pair of golden eyes.

"Alice?!"

"Ava," Alice breathed out, relief heavy in her voice. "Ava Belinda."

"Alice, get out! What the fuck are you doing in my house?!" Ava screeched, inching closer towards her room to grab her phone to call the police. A girl she hadn't seen in 6 months just popped into her house, obviously she was freaking out.

Upon seeing her movements, Alice flitted over to stand directly in front of her. Ava had never seen the vampiric speed that Bella had mentioned, so when Alice suddenly appeared in front of her, she gasped. "_Jesus, fuck_\- "

"Just let me explain, it's about Bella," Alice rushed out quickly. "She told me in one of her emails that you..._found out _about everything. About us, about-"

"I-I did," Ava interrupted, her back pressed tightly against the wall since she only managed to move half a step. "But I won't say anything, I promise." She mentally cursed herself in her head, w_hat if when someone finds out about them, they kill you?_

Ava began visibly panicking and Alice took a step back to calm the spooked girl down. "It's okay," Alice insisted. "I'm not going to-that's not why I'm here. Bella, where did she go today? Where is she?"

"Bella? She-she said she was...going to drive around," Ava answered absently, immediately tensing up. _Should I be telling her this?_

"Don't worry." Alice held out a small hand when she felt the sudden spike in Ava's heart rate. "I'm here to help, I saw her."

"Bella?" She puffed out, her face permanently fixated in a strange expression. "Where?"

"She wants to die," Alice replied bluntly. "I saw her jump off a cliff or something...and-and drown."

"You saw her?" Ava shook her head. "Alice, what the hell are you-"

"_Visions_," Alice said quickly. "I have visions, and I saw Bella. She wants to die."

Ava blinked in confusion and dropped her tense shoulders in a momentary second of bewilderment. She didn't even have time to grasp that _Alice Cullen_ had _visions_. "...What are you talking about? She doesn't want to die, she's-" Ava cut herself off when she recalled Bella's behavior earlier and she immediately brushed past Alice to try and run down the stairs.

"What?"

"When she left." Ava whirled around, noticeably distressed. "She was acting weird and-and, like, in a hurry. I don't know...it could be nothing but- "

"When?"

She was only halfway down the stairs, and she darted her eyes around in sporadic thought. "I don't know! I-I fell asleep, I don't remember." _W__hat time did she leave? What time did I fall asleep? How long had it-_

Alice was suddenly at the bottom of the stairs as Ava was thinking through the past day. Ava didn't even notice, only hearing Alice's high-pitched, panicked voice. "Ava, get back, there's-!"

Suddenly the front door was nearly ripped from its hinges, and Ava shrunk away at the noise. Upon looking down, Alice was gone and she was met with the large form of a wolf. She scrambled to the side and backed into the wall, only feeling the brush of grey fur against her arms as it ran past, and hearing the immediate harsh snaps and Alice's grunts of opposition.

Ava's voice got over the shock and panic at seeing a wolf in her home first, and she immediately thought it was Jacob. "Stop!" She yelled, still frozen in place. She had only turned her head to the side, her cheek laid against the wood and her body was frigid to her core. "Jake-Alice," she yelled again, breathlessly.

She stood there for nearly a minute, willing her body to catch up to her mind. Her legs seemed to move of their own accord after a seeming eternity, and she moved up the stairs to the pair.

"Stop, please!" She shrieked even louder, desperate to stop the fighting. Alice was darting around trying to avoid any further violence or destruction, but with Jake following it wasn't doing much. Alice heard Ava's cries and tried to ease the fight to an end. "Stop!"

"I'm not here to fight," she said between breaths. "This isn't your land, stop!"

Ava didn't know what to do; she was torn between finding help from someone, _anyone_, and trying to pry them apart herself. But going up against a werewolf and a vampire didn't sound like a great idea.

_Jacob isn't grey_, Ava suddenly thought and instinctively yelled out, "Paul, stop!" He had managed to pin Alice down; she had her hands on either side of his face, stopping his snapping fangs from coming any closer.

The second she yelled his name, his actions came to a stop and he snapped his face towards her. _It was. It was Paul_, Ava sighed out inwardly.

"Stop, she's not here to fight. It's-it's Alice...Cullen," she pleaded, as if the name was enough explanation. "It's about Bella."

He only growled lowly in response, his eyes narrowing. "Please," Ava repeated desperately.

He snarled once more at Alice below him before bolting past Ava and out the front door.

A brief interlude passed; Ava stared blankly at the open door, the past events weighing incredibly heavy on her mind. She had no idea how she knew that the wolf wasn't Jake, since she had only seen her friend in his wolf form once, seconds before he phased in front of her for the first time.

Ava didn't even know Paul was grey when he phased, and yet his name had slipped from her lips before she even had a chance to second guess. It was an instant reaction.

"Can you _please_ explain why a werewolf just tried to rip my head off?" Alice said after a beat, still lying down. Ava heard the back of Alice's head hit the hardwood in exhaustion.

"It-it was Paul." Her voice was devoid of emotion. "Lahote. He-I..." She sighed audibly, the events just being far too much to handle. "It's a long story...for some other time." Ava's attention snapped back to Alice after she got up and stood beside the girl, dusting her jacket off.

"Bella," Ava reminded. "Where is she?"

"I was hoping you would know." Alice frowned. "I just saw her jump and drown; I came as fast as I could. I knew you were home, so I knocked but you didn't answer...I was hoping to _leave_ to look for Bella before you noticed I was in the house."

Ava ignored her logic of breaking and entering and racked her brain. "I don't know..." Her voice trailed off. "If you saw her jump off a cliff, First Beach? A cliff...the..." Her eyes widened in realization.

_No. She wasn't that stupid, was she?_

Alice frowned and sniffed the air, wrinkling her nose. "I can't. I'm not allowed on the reservation."

"I am," Ava said immediately, ignoring the mess that littered the second floor and running down the stairs. If Bella truly decided to jump off a cliff to commit _suicide_, Ava had no idea how she would cope. The thought of losing her was debilitating; she wiped the collection of tears in her eyes, and focused on not tripping.

Ava snatched her keys, pressing them harshly into her palm. _Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay._ Alice was following closely behind Ava, already trying to think through a way she could sneak onto the reservation without being noticed.

Suddenly, once Ava got to the still-open front door, she bumped into Bella sprinting through. She grabbed Bella's upper arms instinctively to keep herself from falling and choked out, "o_h, my Go_-"

"What happened to the front-who's here?" Bella interrupted, shoving her way past her cousin. The house was dark, barely illuminated.

Bella gasped and took a shaky breath. "A-Alice." She rushed forward and enveloped the shocked vampire in a hug.

"Oh, my God! Bella!" Alice said, shoving her away.

"What are you- " Bella answered, confused. "I'm sorry, I just, I can't believe you're here." She looked at Ava quickly, and stuttered out, "is…"

"Would you like to explain to me how you're alive?" Alice exclaimed, whipping the attention back towards her.

"What?"

"I saw a vision of you. You jumped off a cliff. Why in the hell would you try and kill yourself? I mean, what about Ava?" She flung a hand in the direction that the girl stood. "What about Charlie? What about- "

Bella's eyes darted towards Ava. "I didn't try to kill myself," she insisted desperately.

Ava stared back at her, unsure. "Bella- "

"I was cliff jumping," Bella explained, eyes drawn in determination. "Remember? We saw them with Jake." She turned back towards Alice. "It was recreational. It was fun."

Alice exhaled, exasperated. "I can't _believe_ you."

* * *

After Bella broke the news that Harry had passed away from a heart attack, Ava remained silent and tried to register the information. She wasn't overly friendly with Harry, but he was always a kind face in a crowd and she couldn't imagine what his family was going through. Leah and Seth, although they weren't close, she felt immense sadness and..._Sue_. Ava was interrupted when Alice suddenly burst out.

"I have never met anyone more prone to life-threatening idiocy," she exclaimed to Bella who looked sheepishly down at her mug of tea. "I mean, if you were going _cliff jumping_, why didn't you bring someone?"

Bella ignored the question and instead asked, "does...did you tell him?"

"No." Alice shook her head. "He only calls in once every few months."

Ava furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "He's not with you?"

"He said he wants to be alone," Alice said defeatedly, looking down. There were a few seconds of silence before she spoke again in an almost humorous tone, and complained, "I'm sorry, I forgot about that _god-awful_ wet dog smell."

Ava smiled amusedly at Alice's grimace and Alice glared lightly at her. "Speaking of that, is _now_ the time to explain why I was nearly killed?"

"What?" Bella's head snapped towards Ava. "How?"

"Paul," she said simply. Bella had an even more confused look on her face, and Ava turned towards Alice to explain. "He...ah, _imprinted _or...something."

Alice raised an eyebrow before she replied, "...so a werewolf smelt a vampire nearby…" she drifted off, filling in the blanks.

"In essence." Ava wrapped her fingers around the charm dangling from her necklace and moved it back and forth. She stared out of the window behind Alice and Bella and looked into the forest, _I hope he's okay..._

"But Jacob said..." Bella muttered quietly to herself. "...Outside…"

Ava remembered Alice mentioning the treaty in the midst of the fight and she suddenly asked, "the treaty isn't broken with Paul coming here, is it?" She was afraid that she had caused a problem. The treaty had been in place for years and the thought of it breaking, terrified her. From what Jacob and Billy had explained, the town was neutral territory, but fighting amongst each other with the treaty in place would cause it to be void.

Alice shook her head. As much as she'd like to cry _wolf_, no pun intended, she knew she couldn't blame the shape-shifter. At least, not fully. "We were gone. He probably just...thought I was some other vampire." She gave Ava an unconcerned smile. "It's fine. I don't know much about whatever it is werewolves do but...if it were Jasper..." She trailed off and sighed out. "Besides, no harm no foul."

"But, Ava." Alice whined after a brief pause, almost scolding her. "Werewolves are not good company to keep."

Ava frowned. "I can't help it if he imprinted."

"Yes." Alice nodded. "But you can help being _around_ him."

"Alice-" Ava began before Alice grimaced again, distracting her. "...It also smells like...Bella, you _stink_."

Bella looked surprised for a second and shifted uneasily. "Um, yeah, that's probably me too. Or it's...Jacob."

"Jacob who?"

Bella raised a nonchalant eyebrow. "Jacob's, kind of, a werewolf."

Alice exhaled, frustrated. "You _both_ need to learn. Werewolves _aren't_ good company," she reprimanded, glancing between the both of them.

"Speak for yourself."

Ava's gaze moved to the side, Paul and Jacob coming into view. They both looked angry, glaring at Alice simultaneously and Alice stood up quickly. Jacob nodded at Bella. "I had to see you were safe."

"I thought you couldn't protect me here," Bella asked, a small smile on her face. Jake answered back, a twinkle in his eye. "Guess I really don't care."

Paul remained quiet, continuing to scowl at Alice almost expecting her to jump into another fight. When he ran into the forest, he caught Jacob's thoughts. Turns out, he had the same thing on his mind and it only took a second for both wolves to put aside their mutual unhappiness with each other to realize that they were going to storm the Swan house.

Ava stood up and stepped carefully to Alice's side, watching him tense up even more if possible. "I'm good," she assured and his eyes trailed to her gruffly. "Really. I am."

Alice frowned, offended. "Well, _I'm_ not going to hurt them."

Paul scoffed while Jake replied sarcastically, "no, you're just a harmless Cullen. I'm talking about the _other_ bloodsucker who tried to kill Bella because of you."

She shook her head in confusion before turning to Bella. "...Victoria?"

Bella glanced at Ava nervously before replying. "Yeah...Victoria's been around."

Alice narrowed her eyes to the side before looking at Paul, his previous actions now making much more sense. "So, that's why you..." She darted her eyes around quickly, trying to remember her visions before breathing out audibly. "I didn't see her." She turned towards Ava, now realizing much more. "I didn't see you get imprinted, I haven't seen your future... The fight. I-I didn't see Bella get pulled out of the water, either."

She shifted her gaze to Paul and Jacob accusingly. "...I can't see past your pack of mutts."

"Mutts?" Paul growled out. "Watch yourself, you- "

In an effort to keep a semblance of peace, Ava moved herself in front of Alice, a pleading look on her face. "Stop," she mouthed desperately.

He backed down slightly and moved his eyes towards Alice over her shoulder to glower.

"Don't," Jacob breathed out heavily, still staring at Alice and taking a step closer. "Get me upset."

"Jake-" Ava started, already reaching out a hand. Bella stood up quickly, making her way towards him and standing in between Ava and Alice, and Jacob. "Hey, stop. Stop, stop, stop, stop."

There was a brief pause as everyone stood, the obvious displeasure of opposing forces settling. "Um…" Bella shifted uneasily, giving Ava and Alice a meaningful look.

"We should…" Ava trailed off, looking at Alice.

She nodded. "We'll...give you a minute." Alice brushed past Jacob while side-eyeing him. Ava instinctively grabbed Paul's upper arm and tried to steer him out of the room, neither of them seeming to notice the close proximity.

"Hey," Bella called and Ava turned around quickly, her iron grip still on Paul's arm. She was doubtful he could feel it very much. To Ava, he seemed to only be there for her sake. "Can you-like, make sure she doesn't leave. Make sure she comes back?"

"Why would she-" A swift jab of her elbow in Paul's side shut him up, and Ava nodded at her. "I will."

* * *

The tension was thick. Ava glanced back and forth across the back porch. Paul, with narrowed eyes and crossed arms and Alice with a discontented look on her face.

"Maybe we should, like, talk about what happened earlier, the, uh..._fighting_..." Ava suggested, looking up from the hardwood. "Bury the hatchet or...something like that."

"What happened earlier was natural selection," Paul answered smugly, his intense gaze drilling into Alice. "...At its _finest_."

"Was it?" Alice countered, stalking closer. She wasn't the kind of being that had problems with anyone; she prided herself in being liked, but her vampiric instincts were telling her to ask innocently, "or was it just another mutt losing control?"

Ava immediately knew that was the wrong thing to say because Paul advanced, a borderline murderous look in his eyes. "I _said_, watch-"

"Hey." She stood up quickly from the bench, grabbing his bicep. The thought of him phasing and hurting her didn't cross her mind; right now, all that was prominent was keeping him from hurting himself with another fight.

"Stop, just-just calm down." She did her best to move him back towards the other side, feeling the instant relaxation of the tremble in his arms. "Please," Ava whispered again. "Don't start trouble.".

"She's- "

"Just apologize," she said sharply, done and tired of the situation. She kind of wished she had a camera to capture his face in that moment.

Paul immediately widened his eyes. "Are you fucking-she-_no_!" He shook his head vehemently and glared over his imprint's head at Alice's complacent face. "Tell her to wipe that _stupid,_ fucking- "

"Paul..." Ava bit again, forcing him to look down at her. She never thought twice at how he completely towered over her; his frame could easily throw her across the backyard if he wanted to, and she half-expected it after what she just asked of him. "Please. Just do it, you _kind_ of started it."

"What was I supposed to do?" He nearly snapped. His glare had subdued from looking down at her, but he still had a scowl present. "There's a bloodsucker that wants your cousin dead, who couldn't care less if you got in the way."

The sudden sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted them. "..._I'll_ start then," Alice said placatingly. It took her a moment before continuing, "I'm sorry. For _what_, I'm not sure, but I apologize. I did fight back...a little."

Ava took in a sharp, happy breath. "See? Now you."

An entire minute passed before he gritted out, "sorry for...you not being the leech we were supposed to take out."

There was another silence and Ava held her breath, exhaling when Alice's melodic laugh filled the air. "Well, I wasn't expecting an actual apology - you got it _half_ right, so congratulations."

Ava smiled and turned around, finally grateful that even though they definitely didn't like each other in the least, the past fight wouldn't be a problem. Paul ignored the backhanded compliment and tugged lightly at the end of Ava's shirt towards him, keeping her from moving closer to Alice.

"You're staying, right?" Ava asked suddenly. "Bella's worried."

Alice sent Paul a sidelong glance before answering, "I will. As soon as you and Bella put the dogs out."

Ava was surprised when Paul managed to stay quiet but, despite her turned back, she knew his expression wasn't friendly. She moved backwards, still a step away from him, but able to feel the intense heat radiating off in waves; she hoped that maybe being nearer would calm him down.

Alice's face was suddenly wiped of her amused expression and her head snapped towards the house. "Edward," she muttered. "No."

"Alice-" Ava tried taking a step towards her, but was stopped by the hold on her shirt.

She looked at Ava fearfully. "He's-oh, my God." Alice yanked the back door open quickly, rushing inside. Ava glanced back at Paul and automatically grabbed his wrist, prompting him to follow behind Alice.

"Alice, what's wrong?" Ava asked. Alice ignored her question and weaved way into the kitchen. "Bella!" She breathed out, panicking. "Bella, it's Edward. He thinks you're dead. Rosalie told him why I came here," she rushed out in a breath.

Bella suddenly turned towards Jacob accusingly. "Why would you...why didn't you let me speak to him?!"

Ava stared from Jacob to Bella, confused about the situation. _What the hell is going on?_

Paul glared at Bella from behind Ava. Ava's hold was the only thing that was keeping him from getting in her face. "Back off," he warned, her outburst to Jacob rubbing him the wrong way. Despite being pissed at Jacob for not understanding the situation between himself and Ava, he wasn't going to stand for some leech-loving nuisance talking to him like that.

Jacob held up a hand towards him, signaling that he could handle this. Ava still kept Paul's wrist in her grasp, afraid that if she let go, he'd pounce.

"He didn't ask for you," Jacob ground out carefully, staring her down.

Bella looked affronted and got into his face to yell. "I don't care!"

"Bella." Alice yanked her back and grabbed her shoulders. "Bella! He's going to the Volturi. He wants to die, too."

Ava felt the same way she had when Jacob first mentioned 'bloodsuckers' during the confrontation at his house, seeming so long ago. Confusion. She had no idea who the Volturi was...or is, and everyone moved quickly after that leaving no time for an explanation.

Alice and Bella seemed to have the same agenda and tried rushing towards Carlisle's car that was outside as soon as possible.

"Bella-"

"Just, trust me." Was all Bella answered, continuing to throw things into a duffel bag in her room.

"Bella!"

"Ava!" She mimicked her cousin's loud voice. "_I_ have to do this, and _you_ have to understand. I can't let anything happen to him."

Ava ran a frustrated hand through her hair and Paul, who had been an unwilling victim in the room, followed as she made her way downstairs. Alice was arguing with Jacob and a split second later Bella ran down the stairs. "Let's go."

Everything was mayhem.

Jake followed Bella out and Ava trailed behind, grasping Paul's wrist again and tightening her hold by the second.

"He left you, Bella. He didn't want you anymore. Remember?" Jake tried to provoke any sort of reaction in his favor from Bella.

Ava stepped down the front porch steps after them, both nearly sprinting from the house. Alice was backing the car out and Bella had nothing but a duffel bag and passport in her hands. "No, I'm not gonna let him kill himself out of guilt."

Ava paused after a second, unable to form or think of anything to keep Bella here. She tried calming her breathing, hardly registering Paul prying her fingers from his wrist and placing a light hand on her shoulder. She leaned against him instinctively, feeling her mind spin so quick she was getting dizzy.

He pressed Ava closer, on edge in case she decided to join in on the impromptu trip, and Ava watched as Jake tried again. "What about Charlie?"

"I'm 18. I'm legally free to go, and I left a note. Said Ava wasn't home when I left, so she'll be fine," Bella breathed out the explanation before getting into the car and slamming the door.

Jacob leaned down into the open car window on the driver's side, ignoring Alice. "Please, Bella, just...stay here. For Charlie. Or...or for me."

Ava didn't hear what Bella said, only watching Jake slink out of the window slightly. "I'm begging you," he pleaded. She spared Paul a glance and he looked stone-faced watching the exchange. She knew he wasn't crazy about Bella but watching Jacob, his pack brother, begging for a girl who didn't want to be with him was troubling.

Again, she didn't hear what Bella said since she was nearly whispering, but watching Jacob's reaction was all Ava needed. He turned around, ignoring both Ava and Paul, and sprinted towards the darkened forest to the side.

"Okay." Ava heard Alice say. She turned her head and met Alice's gaze. "We'll be back. I promise." Alice put the car into drive, the car screeching from the sudden speed when she pressed the gas.

She stood there for what felt like a lifetime, hearing the noises of the night and feeling the heat radiate off Paul's still frame. He shifted, moving another hand to her opposite shoulder, and drew her back to search her blank face. The lack of emotion was making him feel as though she was on the edge of a mental break.

"Are you okay? You don't look very..."

"I don't-I don't know. God, what am I supposed to tell Charlie?" Ava exploded, shaking him off and taking a few steps towards the side of the road. "Why is she so...why does she _do_ things like that?!"

* * *

Favorite, Follow, and Review! And let me know what you guys think of this chapter! i love reading reviews :)

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter: this one has a lot, just a heads up if anyone actually reads these haha_

**Ava:** We need an adult.  
**Bella:** I am an adult.  
**Ava:** We need a different adult.

.+.

**Ava, snaking around her house and terrified out of her mind:**  
**Alice, breaking into said house:** Is Bella-stop screaming, it's just me-is Bella here?

.+.

**Bella:** Do you ever see something that changes your life and you're just-huh.  
**Jacob:** I saw you.  
**Bella:** Honestly that's so sweet and it really makes this awkward because I was gonna show you a drawing of Ava as a turkey.

.+.

**Alice:** She must have drowne-  
**Ava:** Maybe she died trying to drink all the ocean water.

.+.

**Bella, about to tell Ava she's going to Italy:** I have an idea.  
**Ava:** A good one?  
**Bella:** Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

_[alternatively]_

**Bella, about to tell Ava she's going to Italy:** I have an idea.  
**Ava:** A good one?  
**Bella:** Fuck yeah.

.+.

**Bella:** Hey, do you have a few bags I could borrow?  
**Ava:** The only bags I have are under my eyes and they're specifically designed to carry the burden of my existence, as well as the fact that I was thrust into a world of supernatural creatures that I wasn't prepared for.  
**Bella:** Literally all you had to do was say no.

.+.

**Alice:** What kind of tea is this?  
**Bella:** Oh, I boiled some Gatorade.

.+.

**Alice:** Can I have a word with you?  
**Ava:** Are you going to kill me?  
**Alice:** What? No. The opposite actually.  
**Ava:** …_I'm_ going to kill you?


	17. Chapter 17

Title: The Best Of Times: A Lifetime in a Day  
Chapter 17: Because You Broke My House Or, Yeah, My Parents Kind Of Suck  
Rating: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
Disclaimer: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
Summary: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. Eventual Paul/OC. No Bella-bashing. Follows New Moon (mostly). _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

Notes: This is mainly an OC-insert story into the films, meaning the Paul/OC will take a backseat for now!

**Sarah Lahey:** I don't blame you! I haven't read them in quite a while too. The treaty pretty much only has two main points; the Cullens can't harm any humans/turn anyone and they aren't allowed to trespass onto Quileute land. In turn, the wolves aren't allowed to cross into Cullen land. From what I know, Forks/the surrounding towns are neutral zones in the treaty so, naturally, Ava was worried about it. I like to think it was shock that Ava recognized him that caused him to stop, but a lot of things are left to interpretation.

**LoveFiction2019:** Thank you!

**Amy:** A lot of things are up in the air haha I do see the resemblance, especially in the way he's described in the books. The reason I said 'except the hair', was the the length of their hair in their human forms is mirrored in their wolf forms. Hence, why they crop their hair short once they phase for the first time.

**Jane:** I try. Most of my chapters are between 1,000 words to 2,000, but I know I love long chapters so I try to extend them wherever I can. I'm glad you're excited; as am I! Hm...am I continuing through the rest of the films...? Hint: I am. P.S. that is 100% how I would expect him to 'apologize'. _Especially_, to a vampire.

first full edit: 08/20/2019

* * *

"Why do I have to," Paul grumbled, sweeping the glass from a broken frame into a dustpan.

Ava snorted derisively and leaned against the ledge of the stairway. "Because you're the one that broke it. In _fact_, you broke my entire house."

"So did the leech," he said petulantly. "I don't see _her_ helping out."

She rolled her eyes discreetly at his expression. He complained just as much as Jacob. "If she was here, she _would_ be."

He remained silent and was careful not to step in the remaining glass; Ava sure as hell wasn't going to clean up the tornado that had swept through her upstairs. _Especially, _when she had a willing volunteer present.

"This blows."

Or maybe not so willing.

After Bella had left, Ava couldn't do anything else but trudge back into the house with Paul following close behind.

_"When did you get back?" I breathed out finally, dropping down on a chair in the kitchen and feeling a headache coming on._

_"Tonight," he replied. "We lost the redhead. I was going to head to Emily's with the rest of the guys but…"_

_"You came here?" I raised an amused eyebrow. _

_He shrugged as coolly as he could under my statement before replying defensively, "I was just going to pass by. Then I...smelt one of them. Thought it was the leech."_

_Making a quick noise of acknowledgment, I sighed out heavily. There was so much going on. Bella was gone, left some note as an excuse, and I had yet to read it to get the story straight. Harry Clearwater had passed. Charlie still wasn't home...that one, I was grateful for. The last thing I need is him barging in here and seeing me with some random guy in the house._

_...and the huge mess upstairs. _

_I groaned loudly_

_"What?" Paul voiced, surely confused by my various facial expressions._

_"...Now we have our work cut out for us." I said after a pause._

_"Work." He echoed._

_"Yeah." I stood up as I spoke, and brushed past him. Gesturing to the front door and stairwell, I sent him a dry look. "You think _I'm_ gonna clean up the mess you made?"_

"I wonder where Jake is," Ava wondered aloud, pausing Paul's movements.

"Cooling off." He answered after a second. "Probably phased with all the..."

"Emotion? Anger?" Ava guessed and he nodded his head before responding, "it'll take a while for him to turn back. Unless he's already met up with Sam."

Ava had received a call from Charlie earlier; he told her the news about Harry Clearwater and she had to pretend that she wasn't home. Even feigning a reaction at the terrible news. She was trying to keep up Bella's lie by saying she was at Jessica's working on homework and she'd be back home soon. Charlie said he was going to spend the night at the Clearwater's to help out in any way he could, and he would be back tomorrow morning.

"Charlie is going to explode." Ava groaned audibly, thinking about his reaction. "_And_ he's going to think I had something to do with it."

"You two are close," Paul observed. Not knowing if he was asking or simply making an observation, Ava nodded. "Yeah. We've always been. My mom's Charlie's older sister."

"Your parents," he continued, stopping his sweeping. "They're not-I mean...are they..."

Ava pursed her lips together. "Not dead, if that's what you mean. They're just...busy." She shrugged nonchalantly. "And got divorced last year."

"How'd you end up here?" He wondered, furrowing his eyebrows.

Shifting uneasily, she answered, "they both lived in the same city, but...they both decided to move. I _really_ didn't want to move someplace where I didn't know anyone. So...here I am."

"You don't talk to them?"

"I do." Ava defended weakly. "Not often. I mean, if they ever want to ask about me, they talk to Charlie."

There was a pregnant pause before Ava continued, feelings that were long buried resurfacing. "Their...work or something, got busier and we stopped coming every summer. All together, at least." Then after a second, she assured lamely, "...but I-I _do_ talk to them. Sometimes."

She mentally slapped herself for oversharing and avoided looking at him. He was probably staring as if she were crazy. "I-sorry." He let out eventually, not sure what to say. "I didn't mean to-I didn't know that-"

Ava waved him off lightly, still embarrassed at her outburst. "It's okay. I mean, neither of them probably even know I exist so..." In her sad attempt to joke to alleviate the situation, there was a long pause before he continued sweeping stray leaves that were brought in. "They sound kind of..." he trailed off.

"Like crappy parents?" She finished, chuckling slightly. "They...work a lot. But, thanks...I think."

"What about yours?" She asked suddenly. He paused again. "...I live with my dad. My parents divorced when I was eight and I moved with him, here."

Ava looked thoughtful. "Where are you from? Originally, I mean."

"Tacoma." He shrugged, he didn't think his life had been all that interesting. Well, up until he phased. "My mom still lives there."

She nodded quietly. Normally, Ava avoided talking about her parents. Not because it made her uncomfortable, but when she mentioned that they worked a lot and she rarely saw them, she'd always get the same look from people. Even before Ava had moved to Forks, the relationship was the same and she had long gotten used to it. She always figured that was why they even allowed her to move to Forks in the first place, it wouldn't have made a difference if she were here, or there.

Paul didn't do that, though. He didn't give her suggestions on how to improve the relationship with them, he didn't insist that she call them, then and there. She thought back to the conversations that they'd had and, although few, they always put her at ease afterwards.

When that crossed her mind, Ava's cheeks warmed and she turned to look at him. Throughout all the action that had happened in the past three hours, she had forgotten about the little crush.

He didn't notice her stare and resumed grumbling under his breath about having to clean everything himself.

"We're friends...right?" Ava asked, unsure if she was asking him or herself. His shoulders twitched with the question and he turned towards her, answering seriously. "Whatever you need."

* * *

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e.o.c.n. I realize that Ava's mother being Charlie's sister means (at least, traditionally) that Ava would get her father's last name. But, there's an explanation for that, that will come in later chapters. It's actually fairly simple.

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Ava:** Paul, could you do me a small favor?  
**Paul:** I would literally kill for you, but go on.

.+.

**Paul:** Were you dropped on your head as a child?  
**Ava:** Bold of you to assume I was held.  
**Paul:**  
**Ava:**  
**Paul:**


	18. Chapter 18

**Title**: The Best Of Times: A Lifetime in a Day  
**Chapter 18**: Uncle Charlie, I Really Don't Know Where She Is, or I Broke The Door, Honest  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. Eventual Paul/OC. No Bella-bashing. Follows New Moon (mostly). _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: This is mainly an OC-insert story into the films/novels, meaning the Paul/OC will take a backseat for now! And I wasn't lying when I said that the next few chapters are short. As I said, I like neatness so I specifically made the New Moon arc 20 chapters because I'm annoying. And if you think this chapter is short, just wait till the next one haha

review responses (r.r)

**Sarah Lahey:** Nothing brings people closer than repressed emotions! I'm so glad you caught that; I wasn't sure if people would connect the fact that, 1) cleaning sucks 2) even though Paul hated it, he still did it lol

**LoveFiction2019:** Thank you! c:

**Jane:** Do you think so? I seriously hope I'm doing the characters justice, I _am_ trying to emulate their characterizations the best I can haha and thank you so much!

**brankel1:** Thank youuu!

_If sentences are italicized, that means it's a flashback to what happened that day._

first full edit: 08/20/2019

* * *

The next three days passed by in a blur.

* * *

**That night.**

Paul tried, unsuccessfully, to convince Ava to go back to Emily's.

She shot him down, insisting that she had to stay back in case Charlie decided to come home that night. Ava figured it was better that just Bella be gone instead of her as well; that'll definitely send him into a frenzy.

He hesitated in the doorway and carefully suggested he stay in case Victoria showed up.

_"Or another leech to drag you off to another country," he added as an afterthought._

She shook her head, pointing out that Charlie wouldn't like the idea of a seemingly random, shirtless guy sleeping on his couch. And adding in the explosion that was going to be resulted from Bella being gone, it wasn't the smartest plan.

Eventually, he promised he'd be back the next day. _"...Just to, you know, m__ake sure you're still alive," he said, more serious than joking. I waved off his worry. "I'll be fine. If you're_ that_ worried, you're welcome to sleep in a bush outside." _

When Paul left Ava managed to shut the door and lock it, having to press all her weight against it after it had been ripped open. It was a miracle that it was even still on its hinges.

Paul never mentioned that staking outside her house is exactly what he did.

...Well...not technically, instead opting to perch himself in a tree in the woods nearby and out of sight.

_Just to be sure, of course._ And besides, he had to keep an eye out for Jacob in case he wandered back.

* * *

**The next day.**

When Charlie came home and read the note, he was livid. He shook his niece awake and demanded that she tell him exactly where Bella was.

Ava - still half-asleep, but remembering the past nights events - groggily said that she had no clue where Bella was.

_"I got home late," I mumbled, feigning rubbing my eyes and hoping my heart wasn't beating so loud that Charlie would notice. "I don't know, isn't she in her room?"_

Charlie didn't believe her in the slightest, brandishing the note that Bella had left and waving it around wildly. He exclaimed that she wrote that she was going to go see Edward with Alice. Alice had apparently showed up and dragged her along on a spontaneous trip to Italy to visit her family.

It was pretty believable in Ava's opinion. Alice seemed like the type to pull something like that, but it definitely wasn't going to win any points in Charlie's book.

And Ava knew absolutely nothing about this trip?

_"Please," Charlie scoffed. "You two are attached at the hip, she must have told you something, Ava, please."_

Ava denied knowing anything about the trip beforehand and after a half hour of convincing, Charlie left, grumbling about how much in trouble Bella was going to be in.

She let out an immediate sigh of relief right before Charlie cried out from downstairs that the front door had been kicked in. The shock of Bella's letter must have caused him to forget when he walked into the house.

_"I-I kicked it in." I insisted, nodding my head. "I just wanted to see if I could." _

_Charlie raised an eyebrow, unbelieving. "You kicked a door open just to see if you could? _You_?"_

_"Yeess?" I breathed out, lifting my shoulders. This was the worst lie I could have possibly come up with, and watching Charlie's expression, I was sure he would call me out on it. "...I'll fix it though, promise. You can still lock it, you just have to...like, press on it..."_

After dodging more questions, Ava rushed upstairs. She wanted to avoid Charlie, fearful that she'd let something slip; remembering the news about Harry, she let her chest tighten in sadness and she quickly changed, planning on heading to the Clearwater's.

At that moment Paul decided to show up. Wearing a shirt, much to her amusement.

_Charlie glanced uneasily from the boy standing in front of him, to the direction of Ava's room. "She's, uh, upstairs. ...You're, ah, friendly with Sam, aren't you?"_

Imagine Ava's surprise. _"I didn't think you'd actually show up." I said, pointedly. "I thought I'd just see you at Emily's sometime, or something."_

Arriving at the Clearwater's home, Ava hugged Sue tightly. _"If __there's anything I can do..." My voice trailed off, unsure what to say. Nothing I could do could erase the fact that her husband and the father of her children had passed. So suddenly, too. _

_Leah and Seth were present as well, hovering around in the living room. Seth's eyes were red-rimmed and I enveloped him in a tight hug immediately. Leah stood frozen at the window, her eyes hardened coldly._

* * *

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_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Bella:** Have you talked to Charlie? Is he angry?  
**Ava:** Take a guess.  
**Bella:** No.  
**Ava:** Take another guess.

.+.

**Charlie:** Ava, *I* know that *you* know where Bella is.  
_**Ava, internally**: Quick play dumb!_  
**Ava:** Who's Ava?  
_**Ava, internally**: Not that dumb!_

_.+._

**Charlie**: So, you're saying that you had nothing to do with Bella running off to Italy? Are you lying?  
**Ava**: That really depends on your definition of lying.  
**Charlie**: I define it as not telling the truth. How do you define it?  
**Ava**: ...lying down...in a...horizontal...position...?  
**Charlie**:  
**Ava**:  
**Charlie**: I'm leaving.  
**Ava**: Absolutely.


	19. Chapter 19

**Title**: The Best Of Times: A Lifetime in a Day  
**Chapter 19**: Alright, I'm Getting Really Worried Or, Someone Fix That Damn Door  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. Eventual Paul/OC. No Bella-bashing. Follows New Moon (mostly). _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: This is mainly an OC-insert story into the films, meaning the Paul/OC will take a backseat for now! I don't have a beta or anything, just me, so I apologize for any typos.

r.r

**Sarah Lahey:** Seriously! Charlie is the true trooper of the series, homeboy has gone through so much.

**Tiff:** Yes, as slow burn you can get when 1) Paul is 110% in love with Ava and she knows it and, 2) Ava has since developed a small crush. _But_, I will give away that I'm not planning on making them more than friends for a while. I want to expand on their friendship beforehand. I have a good general idea on how I'm going to pan out the next arc, but that's still a surprise ;) and thank you so much!

**Jane:** I'm excited too! And yeah, Ava is always stuck in the middle with her genuine love/caring nature for Bella and her (still developing) feelings for Paul. As well, as the rest of the pack. Argh, Leah makes me so sad. I really hope I don't get too out of hand and make her into a gooey mess. Because, I love her. _And_, Seth is a sweetheart and I make no promises on how I portray him haha

**LoveFiction2019:** Thank you!

first full edit: 08/20/2019

* * *

**The next day.**

Charlie continued pressing Ava about Bella's location; he found it incredibly hard to believe that she had run off without telling her anything. In an attempt to make the story sound more plausible, she 'admitted' to Charlie that Bella had told her that she was visiting Edward, _but_ it was only _after_ she was at the airport with Alice.

_"So I have no clue." I shrugged in an attempt of cool nonchalance. "She didn't tell me where exactly. Just Italy."_

Now, she wasn't lying. Bella _was_ in Italy and Ava didn't know exactly where.

Bella had told her, but she was so frantic about trying to convince her to stay that it had completely slipped her mind. Ava tried researching how to contact someone in Italy. With Bella's sudden departure, Ava assumed that meant she hadn't thought about how her cell service would work...if it would.

_"Are you sure there's nothing," I insisted again. Ava found herself at the Clearwaters' after visiting the day before. Sue had been incredibly strong, trying to keep it together for Leah and Seth._

_I smiled softly, noticing Seth's rapid breaths. "Seth?" The boy hugged Ava like he had before and she felt the sting in her eyes. Shooting Leah the most comforting smile Ava could muster, Leah looked away and stomped towards the hallway._

_Pulling back from Seth, Ava squeezed his shoulders reassuringly and looked at Sue over his shoulder. _

_"Leah..." I voiced and Sue tightened her mouth into a line. "...It's rough. For all of us." _

_I looked in the direction that Leah had stalked off in, debating whether or not to go...help? I don't think that was the right word, I mean, the family just suffered an extreme loss, there was nothing I could do to ease the pain._

_"Can I..." I gestured lightly towards the hallway with my head. Sue looked taken aback for a second before replying, "yeah, sweetie. Go ahead."_

_Nodding, I gave Seth one last watery smile and walked down the hall. It didn't hit me that I had no idea which room was Leah's until I was surrounded by a few doors; taking a guess, I knocked on the first one I saw. Surprisingly, it _was_ her bedroom and she shouted from inside. "Go away."_

_I shifted from foot to foot uneasily. ...I should leave; obviously, Leah wasn't in the mood to talk. And truth be told, she made me a little uneasy. _

_Just as I turned on my heel to exit the hallway, her door swung open and I was met with her scowling face. "...I saw your shadow."_

_"O-oh." I stammered out. "Sorry, I just-I mean..." _

_She stared at me expectantly, the annoyance clear on her face. "What?" She ground out harshly. _

_Felling resolved, I continued firmly. "I-I know saying 'I'm sorry', won't do much. And I know we're not friends, but..." I searched her eyes for a second, they were cold as she listened. "I _really_ am sorry. And if you want to talk? About it or _not_ talk about it, then I'm here. And so is your mom, and Seth." I finished, nodding my head for a second. _

_She gave me an obvious once-over before replying after a long minute of silence. "...I don't need a friend. And I don't need _you_, or anyone else, feeling sorry for me." _

_With that, she shut the door promptly in my face._

Ava met up with the pack, all wondering if Bella had come back yet. She knew that they meant well, but she didn't have any answers; Charlie's frantic worry was beginning to wear her down and Ava prayed that Bella would come back soon before she spilled everything to him.

_"Not yet." I smiled tightly, pressing down the worry that had settled in my chest since Bella had been gone. _

_Paul's face contorted in an obvious frown; the topic of Bella's whereabouts was sensitive. Even _he_ knew that, and he'd only known Ava for a short period of time. In an attempt to change the atmosphere, he suggested going down to the beach for a while. "...Plus, I still owe you an ass-kicking." He haggled Jared. "You cheated last time, asshole."_

_"As if you don't fucking cheat," Jared shot back._

_Once they all arrived, playing with the guys sounded like a good idea. But after trying...and currently, failing...to throw a football across to Embry, they couldn't contain their utter amusement. _

_"My throw isn't that bad." I frowned, miming my past actions. _

_Paul barked out a laugh before leaning over my shoulder, his warmth flowing over the back of my neck. "Are you kidding? You throw like a girl."_

_"I _am_ a girl." I snapped, shoving the ball into his arms roughly and ignoring the small smirk across his face._

When they got back to her house that night, Paul insisted he say hello to Charlie. Ava assumed he wanted to try and get on his good side.

Ava didn't really see the point, if she was being honest; Charlie didn't seem like the type that would be very enthused at Ava bringing anyone home. Friend, or not. From what Bella had recounted to Ava, Charlie wasn't too happy to see Edward the first time she brought him around; when she described what had happened, it brought Ava to near tears from laughter at Charlie loading a gun in front of the guy.

Now that she was the one in the hot seat, she was a _little_ unnerved. Of course, this situation was different. Paul wasn't anything more than a friend, and Ava planned on keeping it that way. At least, for a while.

_"I'm back." I called loudly, shoving all my weight into shutting the door. Man, I should really fix that. _

_Charlie emerged in the doorway and i__mmediately eyed the guest up and down suspiciously. After a minute of awkward silence, he spoke, __"...this wasn't a date, was it?" _

_"Oh, my god, no." I nearly gritted out, jerking my head discreetly to the side. "We're friends."_

_"Hi, Chief Swan," Paul greeted, stepping forward slightly. I almost choked aloud in shock. Chief Swan?! This was some serious buttering up. _

_"...Charlie," he grunted after a second, narrowing his eyes. "Percy?"_

_"Paul," Paul corrected, not missing a beat._

Ava sat at her desk, tapping her pencil rapidly against her homework. _Who even still turns in physical pieces of paper? Isn't everything supposed to be online now?_ Why anyone would assign something over break sounded insane to her.

Glancing out of the window, she bit her lip nervously; _Bella, Bella, Bella, Bella-_

* * *

Favorite, Follow, and Review!

e.o.c.n. _OKAY, ONE MORE CHAPTER_. And I have a teensy announcement; I'm going to be releasing the final chapter of the New Moon Arc on Friday. _Also_, my mom and step-dad, for reasons I can only deduce are insanity, have decided to take an incredibly last minute vacation. I'll only be gone a week starting this coming Saturday, but when I get back I hope to be able to _reaallly_ get into writing the Eclipse Arc of this story! I have an outline, more or less, and I've started writing the 'buffer' chapters in between this arc and the next, so it flows more cohesively. So, it won't be too long a wait, pinky promise.

If anyone has any ideas or predictions/etc. on how the next part of this story is going to go, don't be afraid to review or PM me. Since I haven't officially started _writing, _writing the subject matter per se, I'll take anything into consideration! :) Plus, I'm debating seperating the arcs into seperate stories, but it's up in the air for me.

As a side-note if anyone is curious, Leah and Seth haven't phased.

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Ava:** I wonder where Bella is.  
**Paul:** Don't worry so much about her.  
**Ava:** ...I'm sorry, but have you _met_ me?

.+.

**Paul:** Are you feeling okay, Ava?  
**Ava, near tears:** Bella used to call me Ava.  
**Paul:**  
**Paul:** That's literally your name.

.+.

**Ava:** *screams into a jar*  
**Ava:** *screws lid back on*  
**Ava:** Everything is fine.


	20. Chapter 20

**Title**: The Best Of Times: A Lifetime in a Day  
**Chapter 20**: Apparently The Volturi Is The Human Equivalent Of The President, or What The Hell Is Wrong With You  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. Eventual Paul/OC. No Bella-bashing. Follows New Moon (mostly). _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: This is mainly an OC-insert story into the films, meaning the Paul/OC will take a backseat for now!

r.r

**Sarah Lahey:** Yes, they will! Since I'm following the timeline (more or less) of the series, Leah and Seth phase sometime between New Moon and Eclipse. I 100% agree with the 'have to sit down and talk' for them to get along and become actual friends haha Leah isn't the warmest person. And yes, they're both very strong-willed; I can imagine how crabby Paul would get with their friendship.

**LoveFiction2019:** Thank you!

**brankel1:** I'm glad you liked the chapter! :)

**Jane:** That's exactly what I was thinking too; it's a huge thing to digest, the supernatural haha up until moving to Forks, her life was completely normal. I've decided to just lump all the arcs here, instead of making them separate stories! It'll make it easier for anyone who has followed. Thank you! I'll do my best haha but one can only be around my family for a certain amount of time before you implode.

first full edit: 08/20/2019

* * *

**The next day.**

She was really beginning to get frantic at Bella's whereabouts.

_Let's go over the facts,_ Ava thought desperately, _she's in Italy_... That was it. That was all she knew.

Ava had spent a significant amount of time with Paul in the past two days of Bella being gone. She knew he was trying to get her mind off it; showing up at the front door each day, much to Charlie's chagrin, and going to First Beach or Emily's. Mocking her arm in football. Even trying to convince her to go _cliff_ jumping.

_"I'm not doing that." I snorted. "And if you think I am, you're insane." Bella may have been crazy enough to jump, but there was no way in hell I was going to do it. _

_Paul rolled his eyes discreetly. "It'll be fine. I do it all the time." _

_"You'll heal! If you break a bone or something, you'll heal in, like, a second. Me, on the other hand." I continued my defense, pressing my index finger against my chest. "Will be out for two months."_

_Neither ever noticing the delight that the relationship had on the rest of the pack. _

Ava glared out at the same forest that Jacob had walked off into, days before. She hadn't seen him anywhere; as the day passed slowly, her worry for Jacob grew and her worry for Bella morphed into anger.

She knew how much Jacob liked Bella and..._and she knew it, too_, Ava thought bitterly. Now that Bella was gone, he had disappeared; Ava had felt the ache in her chest at their absence, and she hated that she was clinging to anyone to keep her sane.

Bella and Jacob had been by her side throughout most of her life, and Ava felt the wariness at becoming closer to people who weren't in her immediate circle but she couldn't help it.

* * *

Ava was lazily flicking through the channels. Now was a rare moment when she was alone, not accompanied by Paul or Emily, or any other member from the pack. Checking the time, it was nearing 9:30 PM; she stretched her arms high above her head. _He's patrolling for Victoria again._

Since they hadn't caught her while they had gone on their hunt, they had upped their schedule hell-bent on getting her as soon as possible.

Hearing the newly fixed door swing open, Ava smiled involuntarily; Paul had insisted that morning that since he broke it, he'd fix it.

_"Obviously." I scoffed. "You're 100% fixing this. Do you know how hard it is to lock it?"_

He had gained at least a nod of approval from Charlie since neither him nor Ava had any idea how to fix a door; Charlie was fully prepared to keep the door as it was. Of course, he still thought his niece was the one that managed to break it.

_He must be home from the station,_ Ava thought before calling out, "you're back early. It's barely nine-thirty, there's some dinner...in...the…" Her voice drifted off as Bella and Edward emerged through the doorway.

She remained seated, shocked at their abrupt appearance. "Bella?!"

* * *

Ava was only able to ask a few questions about what had happened, neither one going too into detail. The minute Charlie stepped inside and realized who was home, he was yelling; he threatened Edward, proclaiming that he didn't want him to step one foot through the door as he shoved him onto the front porch.

She heard Charlie through her bedroom door as he scolded - very loudly - at Bella. Normally, he wasn't the type to yell, more of a silent, I'm-disappointed-in-you parent, but now his raw emotion was seeping through his every word. Ava felt the guilt gnawing at her; she couldn't imagine how it would feel like to have one's child disappear suddenly, and be gone for days with no word.

After all was said and done, Bella knocked lightly at her door. "Ave?"

_I should just pretend to be asleep._

Bella knocked once more, her voice muffled slightly behind the door. "You're not asleep. It's barely 10:15."

Ava heaved herself up and opened her door a crack, only her eye visible. "What?"

"Can I..." Bella asked, already trying to squeeze through the small opening that she had made. "Come in?"

She pressed her lips together in a tight line before opening the door fully. Bella slinked inside and bit the inside of her cheek nervously as she looked around.

"...How-how was everything?" She said finally, turning towards her cousin fully who was still standing beside the bedroom door. "Have you seen him...around, or…"

"No," Ava replied shortly, keeping her grip on the doorknob tight.

There was a pregnant pause as Bella fidgeted with her hands. "...Are you mad?"

Ava remained silent, tightening her hand around the cool metal.

"...Why?" Bella asked, and upon seeing a genuinely confused look on her face, Ava snapped. Releasing her hand, she advanced quickly and got in her face.

"You left, Bella! You just _left_! You-you-" Not being able to form another word, Ava whirled around afraid that she'd end up decking her.

Running a hand through her hair in frustration, she continued, "Charlie was _beyond_ worried and-and Jake?" Ava questioned, turning back around and searching Bella's face for anything resembling remorse. "Do you have any idea what you did? I haven't seen him in three days. I-I haven't seen _you_ in three days because you were off..._gallivanting_ in Italy!"

"Ava-"

"No." She scowled. "Don't start with the same excuse you gave me before you left, just..."

Her outburst was followed by a long silence before Ava spoke up again, Bella having fallen completely silent. "Just go to bed." Ava exhaled finally. "I need some sleep... and-and so do you, so…"

Bella simply nodded and slowly stepped around Ava, closing the door behind her. Ava rubbed her eyes in exasperation, thinking back to the conversation she had with Bella.

_If she could help it, she wouldn't hurt Jake, Ava_ scoffed inwardly, _so much for that._

_...so much for not picking sides._

* * *

Favorite, Follow, and Review!

e.o.c.n. And there we have it, the ending of the New Moon Arc of this story. The Paul/OC kicks off in the next arc since all these chapters were mostly focused on Bella and Ava's relationship, as well as establishing Ava as a character. I'd _LOVE_ to read what everyone thought about these 20 chapters, so if you have anything to say and have a minute, please review or direct message! Whichever works for you.

To reiterate, I won't have cell service/LTE/3G/WIFI for a week or so, starting tomorrow. I'll post as soon as I can once I get back, and get a chance to edit the next chapter of this story. Again, if you have a suggestion on an idea or even just a snippet of dialogue haha for the next chapter, go ahead and let me know! :) See you guys in a week-ish; I'll be busy trying not to die of boredom and breathing in the crisp, cool air of the outdoors. ...And trying not to fall off a boat with my _great_ coordination.

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Charlie:** Bella! There you are! We've been looking everywhere for you!  
**Ava:** You can't just disappear and leave a sign on your bedroom door saying, 'gone leavin'.

.+.

**Jacob:** Due to personal reasons, I will be disappearing under mysterious circumstances.

.+.

**Charlie, to Edward:** Leave now or I'm calling the police!  
**Charlie:** Oh wait, I'm the police. Get out.

.+.

_incorrect quote(s) sneak peak for the next arc: _

**Paul:** Ava fell asleep with her head in my lap and kissed my cheek when she woke up. She's so cute. I wish she liked me.  
**Sam:** *looks into the camera like he's on The Office*

**Ava:** You have to pick your battles.  
**Paul:** /select all\  
**Ava:** Not like that.

**Bella:** It's entirely possible to be relaxed and extremely uneasy at the same time.  
**Ava:** No, it's not.  
**Bella:** You do it all the time!


	21. Chapter 21

**Title**: The Best Of Times: Trailing for a Lifetime  
**Chapter 21**: Bella Kinda Sucks, or What The Hell Is Going On In This House  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. No Bella-bashing. Follows 'New Moon'. Currently following 'Eclipse'. _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: So, we're nearing the official start of the Eclipse Arc of the story! I'm going to tweak the format a bit just to keep track of the storyline. Now, every part that needs it is going to start with:

_Day. Time. Location_

Pretty self-explanatory, but if anyone has any questions just shoot me a message!

review responses (r.r)

**you-can-bucky-my-barnes:** 100%! I remember reading when Bella left in the books and thinking that if I ever pulled a stunt like that, my father wouldn't let me leave the house until I got married. If, ever. Plus, Bella leaving Jake hurt _**my**_ mf feelings. Thank you very much; I had a great time!

**The-handprint-on-the-window:** _Literally_. Like, first Bella gets depressed for three months, hanging out w/ Jacob took up most of the next month, and then all the supernatural stuff? She's on the verge of a mental collapse, I'm telling you. When I looked up the timeline of the series, I was _shooketh; _I'm surprised Bella didn't end up seeing a psychiatrist with all the shit that happened within a year lmao. (But as a side note, this story doesn't follow the timeline to a T, it follows it about 90%, I would say.)

**LoveFiction2019:** Thank you!

**Kagz419:** Very true! They'll get through it eventually, Bella just needs to stew on it for a few chapters ;) not to worry, my friend, Ava _shall_ give him a chance. I really hope you enjoy the chapter!

**brankel1:** Thank you!

**Guest:** Yeah, Ava's a tough cookie. And a stubborn one.

**xxPrtlyCldyxx:** Haha, no harm. Bella is one of those characters you either love or hate, and I just happen to love her ;) I get it. Like you, when I originally read the books in middle school, I ate it _all_ up. The forbidden romance, the danger, it was so much for my little heart. Hmm, my view on who manipulates who is actually the opposite, though. To me, Bella manipulates the _crap_ out of Edward; I could be forgetting some key parts, but from my recollection: Bella decides to get to know Edward, even after she finds out he's dangerous. She dates the guy. Her own insistence at becoming like him. Having sex with him while she's still human. Having his frigging baby, despite the fact that it's killing her. Sure, Edward being the more 'powerful' being he could say no, but homegirl knows how to work him lol but yeah, their relationship can easily be construed as being unhealthy and I agree with you.

You're so sweet! I'm glad you like the story and the next arc is coming along, I can tell you that! The reason this chapter took a while was because I wanted to finish writing out a draft-ish for the entire Eclipse Arc; if I had to write the chapters from scratch as I go, then I would get lazy. My vacation was great, your girl got quite the tan haha

* * *

_Sunday. 10:07 AM. Swan House_.

When Bella got home a few nights back, Ava thought that maybe her emotions had gotten ahead of her; all that was running through her mind was how _Jacob_ was still missing, and how _Bella_ was standing in front of her. Bella had continuously tried speaking to her, but Ava had developed a very short fuse to the situation; in an effort to keep her from yelling at her cousin or pushing her down the stairs Ava either left altogether or gave clipped answers.

"So, now what? You _have_ to turn into a vampire?" Ava frowned at Bella. "You'll be breaking some...vampire law, if you don't?"

Now that Ava was ready to talk to her, Bella's explanation of her release from the Volturi was progressively getting her more upset.

Bella lifted her shoulders, she herself was still trying to process everything that had happened. "Yeah. The...Volturi are demanding it. Alice showed them a vision or something of me turning. And-and we all took a vote. Edward...and his family."

Ava furrowed her eyebrows. "You…" Shaking her head, she shut her eyes in disbelief. "Bella, I know I said it was your choice, but _come_ on. I thought you'd-you're _actually_ doing this?"

She had hoped that after some time Bella would change her mind about turning, but it seems that was too much to hope for. And now with the interference of the Volturi, it was just another reason stacked against Ava to lose Bella.

Plus, the Cullens _voting_ on her _mortality_ of all things had apparently sealed her future. Just how stupid were they all? Coming back to Forks is one thing, Ava could deal with that, but voting on whether or not Bella would remain human?!

She darted her eyes across Bella's face desperately. "You were doing good!"

"I wasn't." She frowned. "I jumped off a cliff, Ava, I wasn't doing good."

Sputtering out a response, Ava raised her voice. "You could have _dealt_ with your weird obsession to put yourself in danger! You...you had _changed_, Bella. You weren't sitting in a chair, depressed out of your mind, you were getting out there."

"I was never going to change my mind," Bella insisted. "This is what I want. And now, they're back..."

"What about Jacob?" Ava finally exploded, rehashing her emotions. "What was all that, then? Why would you do that to just-I can't _wrap_ my head around that!"

Bella remained silent and after a few seconds, Ava continued, "all that time you spent with him, just to _leave_ him behind like you did. To me _and_ to him _and_ to your dad, Bella! You have _no_ idea what you did!"

"Yes I do," she defended, now scowling. She was beginning to get worked up despite trying to keep her head level. "I know what I did and I would do it again. I brought him back."

"You did," Ava agreed sarcastically and crossed her arms. "I know you did. You went off, saw Edward, and came back and-and...did you expect everything to be okay?"

Bella continued her expression and Ava met her gaze, tenfold. She had stayed silent far too long. "You don't even realize it, do you?"

"What?" She countered, genuinely upset at her reaction. Bella had hoped that Ava would understand where she was coming from. She always had.

Scoffing, Ava tilted her head up to stare at the ceiling. "_God_, that just makes it worse, you don't even know what you're doing. You're so…so _selfish_."

This time, Bella's face formed a glare and she stood up from her seat in the kitchen. "How am I being selfish? I told Jacob I wasn't sure!"

"Jake never had a chance, Bella!" Ava shot back, straightening off the counter and advancing towards her. "He never had a chance and you never told him!"

"...You never told him either." She crossed her arms in defense, standing her ground against her cousin. "You knew too, but you never told him!"

"You're seriously saying, _I_ should have said something?" Ava asked in disbelief. "You think _me_ telling him would have been the same as _you_ telling him the truth? You should have been honest from the beginning, instead of stringing him along just because Edward was _gone_!"

"I didn't do that!" She snapped.

"You did," Ava countered. "Okay, I didn't know Jake was actually in love with you, but _you_ did!"

Seeing Jacob beg for Bella to stay was like a slap in the face to Ava. She had no idea the extent that Jacob had fallen for her.

Bella opened her mouth to shout back when Charlie's voice echoed loudly, "girls!" He yelled from the doorway, coming in after their voices began raising substantially.

This was out of the ordinary for Charlie. In fact, he couldn't recall a time when Ava and Bella had gotten into a serious argument. He noticed the shift in demeanor though, when Bella had come back and his niece hadn't tried intervening as he scolded her.

"That's enough. Enough yelling." He took a step forward, standing next to Bella. "Look, I don't know what's going on, but we're going to talk-"

"Actually," Ava cut off, looking straight at Charlie. "I'm done talking."

* * *

_The next day. Monday. 7:46 AM. Swan House._

Ava grabbed her backpack and glanced around the room to make sure she wasn't forgetting anything. Today was the first day back to school from spring break.

_I'm late, I'm late, I'm late._

Rushing out her bedroom door, she almost slammed into Bella running out of her room as well. Ava thought she had left already, but a swift glance downstairs and through the window showcased Edward's car parked in front of the house. She could already hear the whispers that he was going to cause; Ava doubted anyone knew they were back, and the returned appearance of the Cullens was going to be the talk of the town.

Bella's eyes widened and just as she was going to dumbly – even _she_ knew how it would sound – ask if Ava was late too, the girl brushed past her quickly.

"Bye, uncle Charlie!" Ava yelled out, unsure if he had left for work already.

With an inward sigh, Bella shut her door behind her. She _needed_ to clear things up with her; she didn't think that Ava was in the wrong when she aired her concerns and feelings, but Bella _did_ think that she could have given her a second to explain. She didn't understand why Ava was acting like this. Bella had plead her case before she left for Italy and – to her – the anger seemed a little unwarranted

Ava opened and slammed the front door quickly behind her, meeting Edward's inquisitive face. She pressed her lips into a tight line before mumbling a greeting. "Morning."

He gave her a nod and averted his attention to Bella as she shoved the door open roughly. With a swift glance between the two girls, Edward realized that something was wrong. Although he couldn't fully _read_ Ava's thoughts, much like Charlie's, he could still sense the feeling behind them. And Ava's thoughts had an angry timbre.

Edward furrowed his eyebrows at her before turning back to Ava. "Good morning, Belinda."

With a fleeting glance at her cousin, Bella strode towards Edward's car and climbed in with a discreet huff and Edward followed. He eyed Ava as she hummed her car to life and pulled out of the driveway, speeding off. He turned towards Bella pouting in the passenger seat and raised a brow, posing a silent question.

Bella blinked rapidly, forgetting just how easily Edward could read her and she shrugged half-heartedly. "...She's...upset."

"This wouldn't have anything to do with you going to Italy, would it?"

She continued to fidget under his gaze and she tugged at a stray thread in her jacket. "Partly, I think."

Edward started his car and began driving down the road when she spoke up again. "...And Jake, too."

"Jacob is angry?"

"Last I saw him," Bella said carefully, recalling his heartfelt pleas. She felt a pang of guilt at her immediate refusal to stay for him, but she didn't regret it. On the plane ride back to Washington all Bella wanted to do was remain by Edward's side, beyond grateful that he was okay; she didn't even think about mentioning who she left behind.

Edward didn't answer and continued driving towards the school. Jacob was a sore subject for him; his thoughts about Bella were nearly constant and it annoyed him to no end. He wouldn't deny the connection that he seemed to have with Bella or Ava; Bella mentioning how long Jacob and Ava had been close friends, and her and Jacob getting closer when Bella moved out here.

He knew that eventually he'd have to face the wolf; his and Bella's relationship made it impossible to avoid. But he hoped that the meeting would go well. Edward _was_ grateful to him and the Uley pack protecting both girls from Victoria while his family was away.

And for helping Bella in his absence. But this time, Edward was planning on staying by her side through it all.

* * *

_8:09 AM. Forks High School._

Ava took a deep breath before opening the door to her English class. Hopefully Mr. Berty was in a good mood. She caught Angela's eye through the small window of the classroom who gave her a wave and an overly enthusiastic smile.

She slinked open the door and met a dozen pairs of curious eyes. "Sorry," Ava mouthed to Mr. Berty and slid quietly to her seat.

"I won't count you tardy, Miss Swan," he grumbled out, turning back towards the board. "Only because of your impeccable attendance."

"Thank you," she smiled gratefully, ignoring Eric's snickers. "_Impeccable attendance_," he mocked quietly in an exaggerated tone.

Ava had only managed to take out a notebook when Edward and Bella walked into the classroom. The class seemed to let out a collective gasp at seeing Edward back in Forks. When the Cullens left town, they left in such a rush that it left people wondering and making up ridiculous stories.

"Miss Swan." Mr. Berty took his presence into stride. "Mister Cullen, I assume you've cleared everything with the administrative office?"

"Yes, sir," Edward replied politely. "Everything has been taken care of and I'm glad to be a part of your class once again."

"I hope yours' and Miss Swans'." He glanced quickly at Bella. "Current tardy won't be recurring."

"Of course not," Edward promised with a tilt of his head. They made their way towards the back of the classroom, their past seats empty, and didn't pay mind to the stares that they were receiving.

* * *

_12:07 PM. Forks High School._

Ava only had a second of calm before a sudden grasp at her wrist startled her.

"So, when did they come back?" Jessica asked, widening her eyes. "Like, this weekend?"

"Yeah," Ava answered robotically. The news of the Cullens being back in town spread like wildfire and in nearly every class since that morning, _someone_ tried prying as much information out of her.

It was getting annoying.

Ava had dodged her friends questions after class, ducking into the masses of people in the hallway. But now that it was lunch, she was trapped; she entertained the idea of eating in the bathroom but after a second, she figured she'd have to face Jessica's onslaught of questions sooner or later.

"Why didn't you tell me they were back?"

Pursing her lips, Ava answered, "it's been pretty busy, Jess."

Her reply was cut short when the rest of her group got to the table and sat down, all nearly leaning forward in anticipation. Ava sighed loudly. "What do you want me to say?"

"Everything!" Eric exclaimed. "Why'd they move really? And why would they come back?! The year is almost over."

"Dr. Cullen got a job," she answered blankly. "So they moved."

"Then why did they move back?" Angela wondered, munching on a baby carrot. Ava shrugged. "I don't really know."

Jessica scoffed loudly. "How can you not know?!"

"Why're all of you suddenly asking questions?" Ava asked instead, fed up. "You didn't seem too concerned when they first left."

"But _now_ they're back," Mike insisted, pointing at Ava. She lifted her eyebrows lazily. "So?"

"So, they're news again!" Eric immediately came to Mike's aid. "Ava, you _have_ to give us something."

She didn't get a chance to respond before Jessica nudged her arm and motioned her head discreetly towards the entrance of the cafeteria.

Edward and Bella had just walked in and instantly garnered attention from everyone. Bella caught Ava's eye and raised her eyebrows in greeting; Ava tightened her lips in response and looked down. She hadn't spoken to Bella after yesterday's blowout. Bella had tried speaking to her a few hours after, but Ava just nodded half-heartedly at her apologies.

Not expecting anything, Ava was confused when Jessica stiffened beside her and everyone shifted closer to her side. She looked up and saw that Edward and Bella were walking over, their intent obvious. She thought that they would have sat at their old lunch table but with a glance to the side, only Alice and Jasper were present.

They sat down, Bella smiling nervously at her old friends and Edward nodding politely towards the group. There was a beat of awkward silence as everyone stared at each other, Angela finally breaking it. "..._Well_. Good to have you back."

* * *

_3:45 PM. Forks High Schoo_l.

"Ava!"

Stopping in her tracks, Ava recognized the lively voice that called her name. A few people that were walking in front of her turned around and slowed upon hearing the unmistakable sound.

She only had a split second to debate what to do before the girl in question bounced beside her and smiled brightly. "Ava Belinda!"

"Hi Alice," Ava greeted nervously.

She had always considered Alice the closest thing she had to a friend within the Cullens, even after Ava found out she was a vampire. Now that she was the reason that Bella ran off to Italy, as well as her adoptive brother, Ava was apprehensive.

Her smile didn't fade and she leaned in closer. "How are you?"

"I'm...going, you know. I'm good," she answered carefully. All Ava wanted was to head home, she was mentally exhausted from the day.

Alice, sensing the strange behavior, quickly moved them to the side of the hallway and stood in front of Ava.

"Do you understand why it was done this way?" She softened her smile, hoping that Ava had ample time to remember the details of that day. Alice had tried speaking to Bella about Ava; how she was doing, what was going on, but she avoided questions about her cousin.

Alice didn't want things to go down the way they had, but they only had a certain amount of time before it was too late to save Edward. The petite vampire felt guilty for carting off Bella and landing her into tremendous trouble with her family, but she was glad that _her_ family was back for good because of it.

"Not really," Ava said bluntly, not feeling the need to lie to her.

Alice's smile dropped slightly and she glanced to the side, making sure no one was within hearing distance. "There really wasn't any other way. Edward would have been gone and imagine how _that_ would have affected Bella."

"_Alice_," Ava said, slightly frustrated.

She didn't want to anger or upset the pixie-haired girl, but that was it. Alice wasn't here when Bella was depressed for three months. She wasn't living through any of it, all she had to go on was the emails that Bella obsessively sent; she didn't care if Alice could see the future and may have stumbled across Bella in her state.

"She was doing better. You didn't see her after you all left, she was a _wreck_. She wouldn't leave the house, let alone the same damn chair. She would barely eat, Charlie was about to send her to live with her mother," she finished with a hiss.

Alice recoiled back at Ava's words; she _did_ see Bella in her depression, but she knew that her appearance at the time would only make things worse. She tightened her lips into a thin line and ducked her head. "Ava, I'm sorry."

Ava shook her head slightly and brushed past to walk away from the vampire. Only making it a few steps before the ever-persistent Alice caught up to her. She was determined to make things right. She was fond of Bella's cousin, even _if_ she smelt like the wolves all the time.

She peered up at Ava. "I know the way it was handled wasn't the best option. But if it was Charlie? Or Bella? Even Jacob, would you have done things differently?"

Ava knew Alice was trying a clever tactic and she cursed at it _actually_ making her pause and think. Would she have done things differently?

Charlie, Jake and Bella were three of the most important people in her life. Charlie and Bella were family and she'd go to any lengths to keep them safe. And Jake. She loved him to death, and the thought of him doing what Edward had tried to do made her stomach turn.

But even despite that, she didn't get it. The three of them were different. She'd known them her entire life and, yes. She _would_ die for them, she _would_ kill for them, she would do anything.

Bella was in love with Edward and that was something that Ava would never understand. Not because of their vast differences, but because she was _in_ love with him and Ava had no idea what that even _entailed_. Loving someone you've only known for a short period of time to the point of risking your life sounded insane to her.

"If it were them, no," Ava said finally.

Alice brightened up slightly. "Then you have to understand that...for Bella? Edward is exactly that. She'd do the same if it were her father, or you."

She groaned inwardly at the fact that Alice was right, and ground out, "I'm still pissed at her though."

Alice sprinkled out a laugh before replying, "as long as you're not mad at me. Besides, in a few days you'll be _fine_."

* * *

_7:00 PM. Swan House._

Stabbing at her food, Ava avoided looking up. She knew that Bella was more than likely doing the same and Charlie was glancing between the two of them, wondering what the _hell_ had gone wrong.

He wanted to pry into what exactly had happened during their argument but he never got the chance to. Bella had stormed off, similarly to Ava, and left no room for him to ask. He thought that it would blow over the next morning, but the silent tension was still present throughout the house. Bella had tried, he noted, but his niece was a stubborn one.

Charlie didn't know if the screaming match yesterday was really about Jacob, or Bella leaving for Italy since he had shown up right towards the end. Charlie assumes it was a mix of both. Truthfully, up until yesterday he believed that Ava had something to do with Bella leaving so suddenly.

When his daughter left without a single word, Charlie was beyond worried. He had only met Edward's adopted sister once when Bella had fallen down the stairs and ended up in the hospital the year prior, but she seemed like a nice girl. Now, he wondered if that whole family was actually a bad influence on Bella. Charlie nearly burst a blood vessel when he realized that Bella was once again with Edward; the boy had already done so much harm when he moved out of Forks, and Charlie didn't want him anywhere near his family. But Bella was going to do as she pleased and forcing her away from him wasn't going to do anything. It would just leave room for Bella to sneak around and continue seeing him.

Anyone could cut the tension in the house with the dullest knife. Charlie held his breath before he spoke up through the silence.

He cleared his throat awkwardly and set down his fork. "...I think now is a good time to, you know, _talk_. Clear the air, hm?" He glanced at both girls, neither giving an inch.

Even after Alice's talk, it didn't change the fact that Bella had led on Jake. Ava wasn't planning on making peace with her until Bella spoke to him and gave Ava an _honest_ apology for making _her_ out as the bad guy.

"I don't have anything to clear," Ava challenged, looking up and locking eyes on the top of Bella's head.

Bella continued looking down at her plate. "I'm good," she mumbled.

Ava scoffed quietly at her. "Figures." She looked back down as Bella's head snapped up. Bella dropped her fork onto her plate with a loud clank.

"Actually, dad," Bella started, shoving her chair away from the table. "I'm just going to head up to bed. Pretty tired."

Staying silent, Ava rested her head atop her hand lazily. Bella gathered her plate and placed it into the sink, walking to her room swiftly. Ava didn't look up until she heard Bella's door slam shut and she was met with Charlie's dry expression.

"..._What_?"

* * *

_7:03 PM. Swan House._

Bella slammed the door behind her. Normally, she wasn't one for such dramatics but this was an exception. She was at her wits end; not only was everyone staring at her all day, but Ava was still acting coldly towards her.

She wasn't used to it. Most of their lives they were nearly inseparable.

The day Ava was introduced to her, Ava had just turned a year old and Bella was nearing her third birthday. As a rambunctious two-year old, she was confused with the arrival of the small girl but she welcomed her nonetheless.

Since then, the girls were best friends and self-proclaimed sisters. Their relationship never wavered. When Ava began becoming close friends with Jacob as she visited Forks year after year, Bella always considered herself as Ava's number one.

As the girls grew older, Bella noticed something. Ava had grown incredibly attached to her. She didn't mind, she _loved_ having a sister and having Ava around meant she wasn't ever alone.

Most chalked it up to the fact that the girls were close in age and Ava saw Bella every summer, but Bella knew the true reason. She had asked Ava one day, unknowingly.

"_Don't you ever wish you had a sister?" Bella eyed her cousin._

"_I already have one," Ava replied, matter-of-factly. "You, dummy."_

"_A real one, though," Bella corrected. "A blood one."_

_Ava looked thoughtful for a second before shaking her head. "Nah."_

_Bella blinked at her cousin, surprised. She surely thought the girl would have said yes. "How come?"_

"_Cause, I love you~" Ava sang cheesily, knowing that Bella wasn't a huge fan of endearments._

_Bella smiled despite this and continued, "but, really. Don't you ever wish you had one? Like your parents had another baby?"_

"_I have you." Ava rolled her eyes. "Plus, if my parents had another baby they probably wouldn't even care."_

_The girls laughed at this, neither realizing the weight of Ava's words._

It wasn't until Bella realized years later that Ava had unknowingly explained why she was so attached to not only her, but Charlie and even Jacob.

They were the only consistency in her life.

Ava would never admit it aloud. Perhaps even _she_ didn't know she had this little...issue. She had an underlying fear of getting too close to anyone; the only people that she had ever let herself truly bond to was Bella, Charlie and Jacob. Even her own parents, Ava felt disconnected from.

Her parents were working all the time, so what Ava was used to was a slew of blank-faced babysitters rotating in and out. It wasn't like that always; before Ava turned ten, her parents would _try_ to spend some time with her but that soon stopped.

Ava knew they loved her. There's no way they couldn't have, they were her _parents, _is what she would say. When they got divorced, she wasn't even surprised. It wasn't like Ava ever really saw them together anyway; on the off chance that they _were_ in the same vicinity, they were arguing about something stupid. From the divorce on, she bounced between her mother's house and her father's apartment. Her parents must have thought that the divorce was some huge blow to her because a few weeks later, they got her a car.

And she had only _just_ gotten her permit.

Bella was startled out of her thoughts when Edward appeared in her bedroom. She sent him a small smile, happy that he was there but Ava still present in her mind.

"You okay?" He asked carefully, returning the smile.

"Yeah," Bella said quietly, biting her lip nervously before continuing. "It'll blow over in a day or two."

"Did you tell her that we saw him?"

Bella scowled down slightly, being reminded of the meeting that her, Edward and Jacob had earlier in the day. "...She won't let me. And...I think it'll do more harm. She's already mad."

* * *

Favorite, Follow, and Review!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Bella:** Do you want the good news or the bad news?  
**Ava:** Oh, the bad news first.  
**Bella**: There's no bad news.  
**Ava:** What's the good news?  
**Bella:** That there's no bad news.  
**Ava:** I-what?  
**Bella:** I just wanted to talk to you.

.+.

**Ava, frantic:** I lost my sister, Bella, have you seen her?  
**Random stranger**: What does she look like?  
**Ava, crying:** BeAuTiFul.

.+.

**Charlie:** That's illegal.  
**Ava:** What are you? A cop?  
**Charlie:** Well, actually-


	22. Chapter 22

**Title**: The Best Of Times: Trailing for a Lifetime  
**Chapter 22**: No, Yeah, I Hope You Fall Down The Stairs, Or Why Are Girls So Confusing  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. No Bella-bashing. Follows 'New Moon'. Currently following 'Eclipse'. _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: I apologize for any grammatical errors.

r.r

**you-can-bucky-my-barnes**: Haha, yes it shall!

**The-handprint-onthe-window**: Exactly. Jake and Bella are two of the most loved, and important people in Ava's life, and she knows that Bella is in the wrong here.

**Lelleg**: She is! In the upcoming chapters, the La Push crowd will play a big role in Ava's assimilation into a world without Bella (for the time being).

**Molly:** I'm so glad you think that the character development is going good so far! Yeah, I've always been a sucker for a prolonged lead-up; I like the idea of Ava having a crush but being too afraid of saying anything, and poor Paul is just chilling, basically in love with the girl. I honestly don't even know if I have a writing style, I feel like it's everywhere most of the time. Truthfully, there's no underlying reason why she wears a necklace; someone _did_ give it to her, and I may mention it eventually, but it's not pertinent to the story. It's just a nervous tick she has, constantly tugging at it.

If you mean chapters...I have no clue, but I think I'll have around 60 for the entire story? I'm 100% ball-parking since I haven't finished editing the Eclipse Arc, nor have I started on BD 1&2. In all honestly, it could very easily be more.

I used to post every 3-4 days (since TBOT 1 was prewritten), but now I will try to post weekly! As I said, I'm in the editing portion of the 'official' story of Eclipse, and I want to have that completely finished before I post the 'official' start of the arc.

* * *

_The next day. Tuesday. 2:34 PM. Forks High School._

"Ava," Bella whispered in the middle of class.

Ava ignored her pleas and focused on figuring out the equation in front of her. This was the only class she had with Bella without anyone else. She used to enjoy the time – despite it being Trig – since she was able to talk to Bella with no interference.

These days, she hated it. Yesterday, the same thing happened. Bella continuously tried getting her attention.

"_Ava_," she repeated and the teacher finally looked up, hearing Bella's harsh whispers.

"Miss Swan, is there a problem?"

"No." "No." Ava and Bella said simultaneously. Mr. Varner eyed the the two girls suspiciously. This wasn't the first time they had gotten into trouble for talking during class, but he turned back to continue explaining the equation without another word.

Bella quieted down, but Ava felt the stare burning into the side of her face.

* * *

_5:43 PM. Swan House_.

Hearing Ava's door open, Bella sprang up from her desk. She turned to Edward observing the cork board hanging in her room and pointed to the window. "Ava's out, leave for a few minutes."

Edward nodded his head once before disappearing in a split second. Bella wanted to speak to Ava alone without him listening in, and she took a small breath before opening her door to face her cousin. Ava was preoccupied with digging through her bag absently.

"Hey," Bella began carefully, stepping out of her room. Ava gave her a glance as a greeting before turning back to her bag and stepping towards the stairs. Fortunately, the stairs were in Bella's favor as they were right next to her room.

Bella stepped in front of the stairwell and caused Ava to look up, an annoyed expression on her face. She didn't speak, but her demeanor screamed '_what do you want?_'

"Ava, please," Bella began.

She was starting to get desperate to get her stubborn kin to listen. Ava had always sought her out; whether it was to bug Bella about something random, or just to hang out. She wasn't used to the stagnant silence and she hated the feeling of desolation that she got when Edward was gone. Because Ava was gone too.

"What?" Ava said finally. She didn't want to sound so snappy, but it seemed like her voice had obtained the permanent edge when speaking to Bella.

"Can we please talk," Bella continued, gently grabbing the strap of her bag. Ava narrowed her eyes before yanking the strap from her grasp as quickly as possible. "Not now."

When that was said, Ava slid past Bella – she was still blocking the stairwell – and began descending. Bella felt a frustration she rarely had bubble in her chest and she whirled around to glare down the stairs. "_When_ then?!"

Ava paused and tapped against the banister, shaking her head slightly she continued down the remainder of the steps. She wanted to say _soon_, she wanted to say to _wait_ for her to get back, but she could feel the lump in her throat when she remembered everything that had happened. And _would_ happen.

Instead of answering, she cleared her throat loudly to dislodge the crack. "I'm leaving!" She announced to the side before exiting the house.

Bella wanted to throw something. The silent treatment from Ava was wearing her down, and after a few seconds of standing at the top of the stairs shifting from foot to foot, Charlie emerged warily from the living room doorway.

He eyed the shut front door and Bella at the top of the stairs. "...Everything okay?"

Instead Bella asked, "where did Ava go?"

"Said she was going to the reservation," Charlie replied, recalling his niece's words to him earlier that day.

Bella pursed her lips and turned back around to enter her room. Well, she couldn't go now. Jacob was angry at her. Ava was angry at her. And by pure association, the entire reservation was probably angry with her. Bella had noticed that Ava had been going down there a lot lately; she knew that her cousin was hanging around Sam Uley's pack and she felt a twinge of sadness run through her.

She was used to herself, her father and Jacob as being Ava's closest confidants. The thought of her cousin gaining affection for new people rubbed Bella the wrong way and she felt guilty about it. Ava beginning to develop healthy relationships with other people is a good thing, but to _Bella_ it felt like she wasn't her main concern anymore.

* * *

_6:02 PM. Emily Young and Sam Uley's House._

"Leah and Seth Clearwater. They've phased," Sam said somberly. Ava's eyes widened and she glanced at Emily quickly, seeing her saddened expression. "When did-?"

"Yesterday," Sam continued, turning the attention back to him. "It must have been the...grief from the death of their father, coupled with the sudden arrival of the Cullens. Leah phased and Seth followed."

She lowered herself onto the couch in shock. The Cullens had only _just_ gotten back and the Clearwater siblings had already phased? Ava felt a pang of guilt hit, she should have gone to see the family. It probably wouldn't have changed anything, but for some reason she felt a sense of culpability being related to Bella. The Cullens returning wasn't something that Ava had paid much attention to. She knew they'd come back after everything that happened, but how it would affect the Uley pack didn't cross her mind.

"...Where are they?"

"Seth is with his mother and Leah…" Sam trailed off, running an exhausted hand down his face.

Emily frowned down at the pillow in her lap, clutching it tighter. "...It's my fault."

"How is she?" Ava asked uneasily, moving closer next to Emily. She didn't know why she felt like she was to blame, Emily was one of the kindest people she'd ever met. The thought of her being to blame in any situation sounded impossible.

"Pissed," Paul answered, a scowl on his face. "...She ran off right after she phased. We haven't seen her."

"Can't you phase too and hear her thoughts?"

"She's not in the pack," Paul replied pointedly. "She needs to come back."

Ava pursed her lips. She hoped Leah was alright. Although she wasn't the easiest person to be around, she deserved to be near others who were like her. She shouldn't have to go through this alone and afraid. Leah was a tough nut to crack, but Ava resolved to try and talk to her again, despite their last conversation

"I thought you said it was impossible that girls..._women_, could phase into…" Ava trailed off.

Sam deepened his frown and cast a quick glance at Emily. "There's never been a case. Documented, at least."

There was a beat of silence as the weight of his words settled. "...She'll come back," Sam said firmly, placing a comforting hand on Emily's shoulder. "It'll be okay."

Emily tried giving him a smile, but through her watery eyes it looked incredibly forced; Sam gently motioned his head towards the front door and she stood up and walked out with him, her arms wrapped around herself tightly.

"Emily's really upset," Ava thought out loud, looking over the back of the couch.

Paul lifted his shoulders half-heartedly before plopping down next to her in Emily's old spot, resting his arms over the back of the couch. He never knew Leah or Seth all that well, only knowing Leah as Sam's ex-girlfriend and Emily's cousin. And them being Sue's kids.

"Yeah, I mean, with the history and all…"

"What history?"

"Leah and Sam."

Ava turned her head fully to stare at him. "They were...what, _together_?"

Paul nodded and raised an eyebrow. "Emily didn't mention it? They're, like, second cousins or some shit."

Shaking her head, she thought back before speaking, "...Leah never really came up. When did-I mean, how long were they together?"

Neither Sam or Emily had outright mentioned Leah before. The only time Ava recalled either one speaking about her was when Emily mentioned knowing her at the bonfire, her and Leah being cousins wasn't ever revealed.

He blew out a breath. "I don't know, really. A while though."

She was silent for a few seconds before Paul continued, "then Sam phased for the first time. Emily came to visit, Leah introduced them and...Sam broke things off right after."

Ava muttered, "he imprinted."

"She was a wreck after," he said bluntly, yawning. "Pretty sure she's still in love with him. And now that she phased…" he trailed off, shaking his head.

Leaning back onto the couch, she frowned. "I mean, now that she knows what happened to Sam, the phasing…"

He didn't say anything and Ava continued, "and the imprinting thing. She can't blame Emily for Sam-"

He cut her off thoughtfully, "even if she _did_ know why he did it, it doesn't change the fact that she wouldn't understand."

"What do you mean?" Ava asked.

He answered slowly after a few seconds, "...you...can't really _get_ the imprinting thing until it actually happens."

When Paul imprinted, he felt _everything_. Reality hit and as he stared for what seemed like hours, he felt a panic and worry grip him like never before; the fact that he'd never even _spoken_ to her was insane. The feeling was debilitating. The thought of someone who has never imprinted before feel that level of connection was doubtful.

Ava hummed quietly in contemplation, a sudden thought plaguing her. "...Will Leah be able to imprint?"

"Don't know." Paul shrugged again. "There's never been a girl that's phased before."

Feeling an ache of worry, she tightened her mouth into a line. Despite not speaking to the girl for more than five minutes, Ava felt for Leah. She couldn't imagine planning a future with someone and have that future ripped from her in a split second. Leah was left alone while Sam was pining after her cousin. And to top it off, Leah didn't know about Sam being a shape-shifter, so to her it seemed like Sam left her when something better came along.

When Ava didn't respond, Paul tilted his head back to look up at the ceiling. He took a minute before speaking, a bitter tone to his voice, "...they're just causing more problems."

"Leah?"

He lowered his head. "No." Frowning, he removed his hand from the back of the couch and crossed his arms.

"The Cullens?"

"Who else," he bit out. "The lee-_your cousin,_ is like a bloodsucker magnet."

Ava moved her mouth to the side in thought before replying, "...what she did was stupid…"

He scoffed quietly, shaking his head. "...Better not come around here. Jacob is a fucking wreck."

Her head whipped to the side to face him. Ava hadn't seen Jacob since Bella left for Italy. At this point, it had been over a week with no word. "Have you talked to him?"

Paul shifted in his seat – managing to only grimace slightly at Ava's concern for his pack brother – and shook his head. "We caught his thoughts yesterday. He met up with the leech and _Bella._" He said sardonically. "...And _apparently_, it didn't go too well."

Ava deflated at the news, biting her lip. Of course she wanted to see him but she felt guilty. All those times when he would talk about Bella and his affections were clearly shown, she had never once tried to prepare him for rejection. Truthfully, that wasn't even on her mind. When he'd speak about her, Ava thought it was just a crush. Albeit, a big one.

She'd tease him about being '_in love_' with her, but she was oblivious to the fact that it was actually happening. She didn't even realize it until it was too late; seeing him beg her to stay being the final nail in her 'best friend' coffin.

"...Was Jake angry?" Ava uttered suddenly, trying to steer the conversation in a different direction.

This was something that she was beginning to grow curious about when she realized it had never been brought up. With the pack going to hunt down Victoria, then as soon as they came back, Bella leaving, Ava hadn't spoken to Jake about the situation with herself and Paul.

She wanted to hope he didn't have a problem. The two of them have known each other since they were children, but surely he was a little overwhelmed with everything as she was. Plus, nothing had happened, so he had no reason to be too angry. Every time Ava saw him after, Bella was there and that meant his attention was wholly diverted. "With the imprinting…"

Paul shifted uneasily, casting her a side glance. "...Kind of."

"Kind of?"

"Kind of…" he trailed off before admitting, "a lot."

Ava didn't reply and Paul quickly added, "he got over it in, like, an hour. He hasn't said anything about it since."

Pushing the thoughts to the back of her mind, she released the grasp she had on her necklace. She needed to talk to someone but slamming Paul with all of her contemplations didn't seem like the best idea. He had two new members of the pack to deal with and already wasn't in the best mood.

...Plus, he didn't like Bella. ..._And_, she knew talking constantly about Jacob was just going to begin to grate his nerves. Opting to just stay quiet, he took immediate notice.

"What's wrong?"

Snapping her head to the side, Ava laughed nervously. She wasn't expecting him to actually take heed. "Nothing."

"Something."

She raised an eyebrow, and in an attempt at a joke to change the subject, Ava waved her hand around. "Can you smell it on me, or something?"

He didn't answer, only giving an unamused look. She deflated and hung her head. "...It's just Bella and Jake."

When he didn't answer, silently inviting her to continue talking, she did so. The frustration that she'd been feeling bubbling out of her rapidly. "I don't know. I'm pissed at Bella. And Jacob hasn't talked to me about anything." She was going to blurt out that Bella was turning into a vampire, but she bit the inside of her cheek.

Paul blinked, taken slightly aback. He wasn't expecting her to actually air out the concerns, but he couldn't help but feel a swell of pride at Ava confiding in him. Even if it _was_ about her leech-lover of a cousin and his pack brother.

Unfortunately, he isn't too skilled in giving advice. _Especially_ to women. Usually the girls that tried talking to him in the past, he'd only listen half-heartedly. Even less, if possible. It was always some gossip about another girl or something else he couldn't care less about. He really did want to try and be a good..._friend_ to Ava, but he was at a loss.

He racked his brain for something to say and all he could come up with was: "...Really."

Ava didn't even notice and nodded along fervently. "I _know_, right? Bella is acting like she didn't do anything wrong and it's getting me even more pissed off. Jacob has gone missing and is probably wandering around by himself! Everything went wrong in two seconds and I don't know what to do about it." Letting it all out in a single breath, she stopped talking and stared at him.

Again at a loss, Paul tried mimicking an expression of comprehension as he attempted to follow what she was saying. He hummed quietly, squinting his eyes at Ava and placing a hand over his mouth. After a few seconds, he removed it and gestured lightly to her. "..._Ah_."

And again, she didn't notice. Hanging her head in defeat, she sighed out, "you're right. I need to let things play out between the two of them and stop worrying about everything."

"Yes," he answered, relief flooding him as he realized that the conversation had gone well. Sure, he didn't exactly contribute but he was glad that a conclusion had been derived. "You should. It'll work out."

Man, he needed to get better at this.

* * *

_8:34 PM. Black Home_.

_What am I even doing here?_

As Ava pulled into the Blacks' driveway, her nerves were eating her alive. She hadn't felt this way since Jacob told her and Bella to stay away after he found out he was a shape-shifter.

She knew she was being nosy, but it was in her nature; Ava couldn't just let Jacob stew in his misery forever, she cared about him too much to do that. Just because Bella and Jacob were at ends with each other, didn't mean that _she_ had to be in the dog house as well...no pun intended. With that thought in mind, she marched to the front door and twisted the doorknob.

_I'm just going to make sure he's okay...he has to be home by now._

The door fell away easily and Billy looked at her, surprised as she stepped in carefully. "Ava."

"Hi, Billy," Ava greeted, the man's face calming her.

He wheeled himself from the doorway and looked at her curiously. She hadn't come by in a while; he was beginning to speculate her and Jacob having another falling out.

Billy had a weak spot for the girl. Since him and Charlie had grown up together, he was glad when Jacob formed a close bond with his best friend's niece. She was a force of nature, that Ava, and Billy enjoyed her bright presence when she was around.

"What brings you to this neck of the woods?"

She smiled nervously and shrugged. "I just came back from Emily's," she said, glancing over his shoulder towards his son's room.

"Jacob isn't here." Billy chuckled lowly at her wide-eyed expression after instantly figuring out the true reason she was there.

"Where is…?"

Billy sighed audibly and shook his head in defeat. Jacob had only just gotten home after disappearing, and now, he had up and left. He promised he'd be back later that night, but Billy was skeptical of his only son. "Said he'd be back."

She pursed her lips. "...I haven't seen him. Is he...doing okay, or…?

"I'm worried about him," he admitted.

Bella had done a number on Jacob. The boy was so enamored with Charlie's daughter that he had changed drastically with her rejection. The night that she left had affected him even more than when he phased for the first time and Jacob was completely withdrawn from the world. Billy was afraid if he pushed him, Jacob would pull back.

Sam had come by the house a few days back to ask about his whereabouts after he'd missed his pack duties when Bella left, and everyone had shifted into overdrive to find him. After Billy was informed that they had heard his thoughts, he assumed Jacob would be coming home. Thankfully, he appeared the night before.

Ava frowned down before giving him a tight, reassuring smile. "He'll be okay, right?"

"He'll be okay. These things take time," Billy agreed.

* * *

Favorite, Follow, and Review!

e.o.c.n Next chapter will be a flashback to the night that Paul imprinted! Just in a different p.o.v.

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Ava**: Christmas is cancelled.  
**Bella**: You can't cancel a holiday.  
**Ava**: Keep that up and you'll lose New Years.  
**Bella**: What does that even mean?  
**Ava**: That's it. Charlie, take New Years away from Bella.

.+.

**Ava**: Wait, be quiet.  
**Bella**: Why? Did you hear something?  
**Ava**: No, I just want you to be quiet.

.+.


	23. Chapter 23

**Title**: The Best Of Times: Trailing For Hope  
**Chapter 23**: Man, Fuck Jake And His Big Mouth, or Embry Is The Unlikely Hero  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. No Bella-bashing. Follows 'New Moon'. Currently following 'Eclipse'. _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: This _entiiiire_ chapter is a flashback! It mainly focuses on the night Paul imprinted on Ava (except the first part! I wanted to show you guys the contrast between the first time Paul learned that Jake had phased in front of someone who isn't a part of their 'world', to when he actually sees Ava for the first time because I think it's ironic lol) and we'll go a little into Jacob's thoughts on the imprinting because, as we've come to conclude, he is _not_ a happy camper.

I apologize for any grammatical errors, as I only had time to proofread this once ,)

r.r

**you-can-bucky-my-barnes**: I do that too! Haha, I just throw in an 'oh, my gosh', or 'seriously?', every now and again. I am a _terrible_ advice-giver.

**The-handprint-onthe-window**: If I'm remembering correctly, I think Jake comes back in the next chapter and talks to Ava. Lol yeah, Bella needs some reflection time.

**brankel1:** Thank you! :)

**kathleen-whitefield**: You're so sweet, thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it!

**mercury30**: THANK YOU! I appreciate you pointing that out and I've fixed it. I get my tenses messed up when I'm writing sometimes.

* * *

_~fb~_

_Thursday. 3:05 PM. Reservation._

**Jacob is a fucking idiot,** Paul snarled, sprinting through the forest to meet up with the rest of his brothers.

Once Jacob's fleeting, split-second thought reached them, he resolved to actually murder the new wolf. How could he have been so stupid?! Phasing in front of some girl?! He didn't give a crap _who_ she was, Jacob just royally fucked everyone over.

And to top it off, the coward hadn't phased back into his wolf form so no one knew what happened following the reveal. For all they knew, the girl was blabbing their secrets to anyone who would listen.

Once the four pack members were within a few feet of each other, they began circling. Thoughts upon thoughts were being layered in every direction; Paul and Jared's taking the forefront.

**Where is he?!**

**We need to go!**

**It was Ava! **Embry's voice suddenly shoved it's way. **She won't say anything!**

Paul snapped his teeth at him sharply. **Shut up, Embry!**

**She won't say any-!**

Suddenly, Sam's commanding thoughts broke through, **QUIET.**

He eyed the wolves in front of him before speaking, **Ava is related to Bella Swan.**

**Great.** Paul scoffed. **The leech-lover's sister knows about us.**

**They're cousins,** Embry grunted, keeping his distance from the rest of the pack.

Paul immediately growled and turned in his direction. **I don't give a **_**fuck**_ **what they are.**

Embry reeled back at his brother and pinned his ears to his head. This wasn't good. No one, only a select few, knew the tribal secret; now with Ava finding out about them, Embry didn't know how anything was going to play out. It had been only a few minutes since Jacob had phased into his human form and the panic was rising. He whined lowly at Ava now being in danger because of them and the thought of something happening to her was frightening.

**It'll be one less person who knows then,** Paul said harshly. **There wouldn't be a problem.**

_**Paul**_**,** Sam warned. **There isn't anything we can do. Jacob told her. There's no way he could explain a way out of this and we have to move forward.**

**How? **Jared asked uneasily, the thought of someone outside their circle knowing about them was unsettling.

Sam didn't have an answer and instead turned his head to the side. **Something's wrong.** The pack had finished hunting down Laurent and taking him down, but something still felt off.

The four turned their heads in the direction and narrowed their eyes sharply, they could sense it too. Although they couldn't smell a vampire nearby, the atmosphere felt heavier. Louder.

**We'll deal with Jacob when the time comes,** Sam commanded, turning back towards the group. **For now, Jared and Embry patrol the south end. Paul, follow me.**

* * *

_~fb~_

_Saturday. 8:37 PM. First Beach._

He flew through the trees, perching himself on a small cliff overlooking First Beach. With the strong gust of salt water hitting his nose and his brothers thoughts overlaying in his mind, this is when he felt most free.

He loved his wolf form. He was stronger. Faster. And he could take down anyone who got in his way.

He knew cockily, even before he phased, that he would make something of himself. The thought that he's part of a line of shape-shifters wasn't exactly what he had in mind, but he'd take it. Knowing that he was a part of something greater was a proud feeling and he took into into stride the minute that he realized what had happened.

**Is Jake back yet?** Embry's voice cut through.

Paul rolled his eyes. **Can you hear him, dumbass? Obviously not.**

Embry whined, he was still relatively new so he forgot sometimes about their connected thoughts. Jared's laugh echoed and he bounded to stand next to Paul; he peered down the steep cliff and immediately spotted the bright blaze of the bonfire.

**Hey Sam, let's go down! **Jared insisted, turning towards their alpha who was coming up from behind. **We're done already.**

Paul sniffed the air before grunting. **I'm hungry.**

**Me too,** Embry added, joining in with the rest. He had met up with the pack when he got to the bonfire, abandoning Ava but knowing full well she'd be fine with Emily.

Paul growled upon catching Embry's thoughts and being reminded that the girl was down there. When the pack met up with Jacob after everything had been spilt to Ava, Paul almost ripped him a new one. Now that a good amount of time had passed, his anger wasn't as harsh but his annoyance was still present.

**The leech-lover is still down there?**

Embry narrowed his eyes at his brother before grounding out, **that's her cousin, Bella. **_**Her**_ **name is Ava.**

_**Don't**_ **give a shit,** Paul shot back, nonchalantly. Now he was _really_ itching to go down there. He wanted to see the girl that Jacob had opened his mouth to. **Let's go.**

Sam eyed the hot-headed wolf warily. **Don't scare her.**

Jared snorted inwardly before jumping down the cliff and landing gracefully. **Can we go already.**

The wolves quickly jumped down to join Jared before sprinting to Emily's house nearby. They needed to phase out and put something on, save they scare everyone by emerging from the forest unclothed.

Paul was jumping on the balls of his feet as he walked, filled with energy. He had on a small smirk as he stared off to the approaching bonfire. Sam took notice and warned again, "_Paul_."

"_What._" He stopped his actions and crossed his arms, continuing to gaze towards the large group on the beach. "I'm not going to do anything."

"Yeah," Jared added, flinging an arm around him. "I'll stop him, don't you worry."

"As if you could." Paul rolled his eyes, shoving his arm off. The two roughhoused for a few seconds before reaching the edge of the forest that met the sandy beach. From here, Paul could see the people that surrounded the fire, the orange flames illuminating their features. He didn't know what the girl looked like, but he figured she'd have to look pretty stupid if she was friends with Jacob.

Embry trailed behind the group. The thought of Ava meeting Paul was a little frightening. He knew that Paul wouldn't do anything _insane_, but he was intimidating when he was around new people. Embry shook his head from those thoughts and jogged forward a few steps to catch up with the group. He immediately made out Ava and Emily seated, their backs to them and he scratched the back of his neck.

Speaking to Paul at his side, he spoke, "...can you really, like..._not_ scare her? She's already nervous."

Scoffing at his request, Paul continued looking forward. "I won't scare your girlfriend, chill out."

Embry sputtered out, "wha-she's not my girlfriend!"

Paul didn't answer and instead focused in on the groups of people. He wanted to go towards the table that held the food, but Sam steered them to the completely other side of the fire. Frowning, he scanned the surrounding people, not seeing Emily.

He caught sight of a group of giggling girls staring at them before he rolled his eyes. Paul recognized them from their school and, _honestly_, they were a little annoying. As conceited as it made him sound, he was used to the attention that he garnered. Jared always joked that since _he_ was off the market the moment he imprinted on Kim, everyone had turned their attentions to one of his huffy best friends. Truthfully, Paul didn't really care for all the fawning, but every once in a while he'd entertain them purely out of his own boredom.

Paul glanced to the side when he heard Embry's laugh. Embry shoved Jared before stopping abruptly and turning to look across the fire. Paul furrowed his brows when Embry held up an arm in greeting and he followed his gaze.

He trained his eyes on the girl sitting next to Emily. She wasn't looking at him, instead looking at Embry with a scowl on her face. Well...it looked like a scowl, he only saw half of her expression.

Assuming that this was the nosy girl that found out about them, his face immediately fixated in a glare; he wasn't going to _scare_ her, just unsettle her to the point of not wanting to hang around him or his pack brothers. _Even_ Jacob, despite his idiocy. When her eyes scanned the opposite side of Embry before darting to look at Jared, he got a clearer look of her face.

_Huh_, he thought, deepening his glare. _She _does_ look kinda stupid. If anything, she'll say something on accident without even realizing it._ _Leave it to Jacob to make friends with a fucking space cadet._

Her eyes were on Jared for a few seconds before they moved to him.

Immediately, like a punch to the gut, all the air had been knocked out of him. He wanted to cough violently, but he couldn't move.

His entire body was rigid and all he could focus on was this girl's eyes. His heart was racing wildly, hearing it through his ears and he swore he blacked out for a second.

He had never paid much mind to the subject of imprinting. He'd see Sam and Emily together and Jared and Kim, but he never had a longing to imprint. In fact, he revelled in the fact that he hadn't; he enjoyed the freedom of going and doing what he wanted, and not worrying about anyone but himself.

But in the split second that she locked eyes with him, everything shifted and he instantly knew.

He _knew_ he had just imprinted, but it was nothing like Jared or Sam had described. They described a sudden calming descent as they looked into their respective imprint's eyes, but to Paul it was like plummeting into unexplored territory and slamming into the ground.

He felt every wall he had come crashing down and it seemed like every_one_ and every_thing_ began whirling around this girl.

_Ava_.

A sudden jostle of his shoulder didn't deter him and he thought it was his instincts trying to move unconsciously towards her; in actuality, it was Jared who was staring at his brother curiously.

Once Jared caught the wide-eyed, dazed expression on his face, he knew what had happened. Although he couldn't read his thoughts, he recognized the look that was present. He barked out a breathless laugh and Sam glanced at Jared before looking at Paul.

Sam slanted his eyes in confusion before realizing what had happened. He whipped his head to look in the girl's direction and snapped his head back towards his pack brother.

Paul knew that he had been staring for a strange amount of time when she glanced behind her uneasily. He wanted to tear his eyes away to keep her from feeling uncomfortable, but he couldn't. Sam and Jared were on either side of him, both with a tight hold on his arms as if he'd leap over the fire towards her. He faintly heard the story finish before he unconsciously took a step towards Ava; Sam looked uneasy for a second, unsure how to proceed. This wasn't anything that anyone was anticipating, but Sam finally resolved to move the group around the fire and towards the pair of girls.

As Paul followed, he tore his gaze from her. His heartbeat was still vaguely discernible through his thoughts and he could feel his former self-confidence fading away at rapid speeds. _How could this have happened? How?_

Feeling a sudden wave overcome him, he looked up again to search for Ava. He darted his eyes around until he spotted Emily, but not seeing her. His hands began shaking unintentionally and he tightened them into fists. _Where did she go?_

"Where is she?" He said blankly when the group reached Emily. She looked around with him and shook her head. "I don't know. She took off."

The pack at this point was still in shock. The last person they expected Paul to imprint on was Ava Swan. The three other pack members glanced between each other, they had no idea how this was all going to go. Despite their shock, they were relieved since Paul imprinting on Ava meant that the secret was still within ranks.

"This took a turn," Jared thought aloud, glancing around for the spooked girl.

"What happened?" Emily asked curiously, their strange behavior puzzling her.

Sam sighed and looked over the heads of a few people. Leave it to Paul to imprint on Ava. Whose cousin was Bella Swan. Whose boyfriend was a vampire.

* * *

_~fb~_

_Saturday. 9:31 PM. First Beach._

"Where the hell did she go," Embry muttered, looking around for his friend. According to Emily, Ava had ducked into a group of people and disappeared. He felt a pang of laughter bubble in his chest when the thought that Paul actually _imprinted_ on Ava crossed his mind.

This entire time – despite reassuring Ava that nothing would happen – he was apprehensive about how Paul would react to the girl that Jacob had phased in front of. Now he had nothing to worry about. In fact, he was excited. Even more excited than when he found out that Ava knew about them being shape-shifters.

She was awesome and now that Paul imprinted she would be around even more.

He had been searching for a while, it had been about twenty minutes since Ava had gone M.I.A.. Paul and Emily were with Sam, and Jared was joined in on the search despite not knowing the girl.

Embry towered over most of the people and he searched for the familiar head of hair. Frowning, he hoped that she hadn't gone home, he wanted to at least _introduce_ Paul to Ava. He felt a grab at his elbow and looking down, a wave of relief flooded him as Ava's eyes stared into his own.

"Embry," she breathed out.

An involuntary smile fell onto his face and she gave him a strange look. "...What?'

"Nothing," he replied, snapping his head up. He needed to find Sam. Paul and Emily would be there and he could introduce the lot. "Have you seen Sam?" He asked blankly, not really expecting her to say yes but he was trying to sound as normal as possible.

"No," she answered. Embry barely paid her mind as he maintained looking desperately for his pack brothers. She continued speaking, "...why would I-? Have you seen Emily? I kind of ditched her. She probably knows where Sam is-" She cut herself off suddenly and shoved him. "_You_! You said you wouldn't leave me alone!"

Embry chuckled and held up his hands. He knew that Emily and Ava would get along, it wasn't like he left her with some random douchebag. "Hey, I left you with Emily."

She frowned and grasped his arm again. Embry tuned her out and began worrying slightly, his pack was taller than most and he still hadn't spotted them. _They better not have gone off, _he thought.

He had only caught a snippet of what she was talking about: "...staring at me and stuff…" Ava kept speaking and after she stopped, he answered back, hoping she wouldn't realize that he wasn't listening. "Staring? It's fine."

"Fine? They're all pissed off."

At that, Embry felt a wave of delight overcome him. She was so wrong and she didn't even know it. He wanted nothing more than to just blurt it out – and he very nearly did – but instead he said, "they aren't pissed. Surprised, definitely."

_Beyond surprised_.

Embry saw her shut her eyes and shake her head slightly. "Embry, what are you even talking about? You're talking in some stupid code I don't understand. Why would they be surprised-"

As she spoke, he he felt a familiar tickle on the side of his face and he turned his head suddenly, sensing his brothers nearby. The last thing he wanted was Paul to phase because of Ava's hold on him and he quickly shook her off, taking a small step back.

"Not because of-" He cut his original response off and instead suggested, "hey, I'm going to introduce you to someone."

He didn't expect her to take a step forward. "What? No. I'm going home. Everyone is acting weird." She tried brushing past him but in a moment of sheer panic, he grabbed onto her elbow to stop her before releasing her as if she were on fire.

"Just, one person," he said desperately, holding up a finger. "_One_."

He never would have thought he'd be here, trying to convince Paul's imprint to get her to talk to him. And the fact that this was _Ava_ was laughable.

She glared at him and he thought she was going to refuse but she ground out, "...fine. One."

Another smile spread across his face and he placed the lightest hand onto her shoulder, steering her towards his brothers. With his advanced eyesight he could see Jared holding back laughter and Paul, for the first time Embry could remember, looking as nervous as he'd ever seen him. Sam was standing slightly to the side with Emily, surely explaining the full details on what happened.

"One," Ava murmured sarcastically and Embry rolled his eyes.

_Ava needs to listen to me more._

* * *

_~fb~_

_Friday. 10:07 PM. Reservation._

**You imprinted?! **Jacob cursed, **you fucking imprinted on her?!**

**He couldn't help it.** Jared's voice cut through. **It happened in a second, Jake**_._

When Jacob left Bella's house he phased quickly to meet up with the rest of his pack brothers. They were going to guard the reservation for a while since Laurent being so nearby had rattled Sam. Since then, he commanded that the pack meet up at night for one last patrol with them all present.

Jacob wasn't on patrol earlier that day; only Jared, Paul and Sam were assigned. They should have been doing exactly _that_ but when their thoughts reached his ears, he was _pissed_.

He knew Embry was going to the bonfire that was being held that night on First Beach, but he didn't know that Ava was going to be there as well. If he had known the pack was going, he would have opted to go to the bonfire instead of going to Bella's. He'd known Ava long enough to know that she gets overly critical and tends to overthink situations; if he were there then he could have lessened the blow. And prevent one of his pack brothers from _imprinting_ on her.

Once he reached the group, he snapped his teeth sharply at Paul. **What the fuck is wrong with you!**

**Jake, calm down,** Embry voiced, trying to calm his best friend and avoid a fight. **This is good.**

Jacob whirled around and stalked closer to him. **Good?! He imprinted on Ava, Embry!** Jacob suddenly snapped his attention to Paul, **stop fucking thinking about her!**

Paul – who until this point had been taking it – snarled back, **why don't you shut your mouth, Black!**

**Make me,** Jacob challenged and Paul immediately jumped forward at the prospect of a fight. It was a mess of snapping teeth and shouts from all directions as they lunged at each other.

_**STOP**_, Sam's voice bellowed, **stop fighting, **_**now! **_Jacob and Paul immediately halted at the command of their alpha but continued growling at each other.

Sam eyed them both carefully before addressing the younger wolf, **Jacob. Paul imprinted, neither him or you can change that.**

Jacob turned his growling towards his alpha. Sam continued, **we have to go.**

Jared and Embry stared at Paul and Jake, respectively. Sam jumped down and began sprinting deeper into the forest, nearing the edge of the reservation. After reaching a precipice, he turned towards the pack who had been following. **We're patrolling.**

**Jacob, Paul, stay here.**

Both wolves had an immediate negative reaction, trying to argue with Sam.

**Quiet**, he snapped, **you're staying here. Jared, Embry, follow me. **Without a second glance to the feuding shifters, the trio jumped down the steep mountainside and were out of sight in seconds.

Both boys remained silent, focused on making sure no danger was nearby. They wanted to finish this as soon as possible.

They caught Sam, Jared, and Embry's thoughts every now and again, and both were itching to say something to each other. Something _negative,_ but at this point the rest of the pack just wanted this impasse resolved; no one expected such a reaction from Jacob.

Jake still wasn't used to clearing his mind, being new to the 'knowing each other's thoughts' but Paul's were loud and clear.

**Ava, Ava, Ava, Ava-**

Jacob was going insane and he snapped instinctively, **can you shut up.**

**You shut up,** Paul said harshly back.

**Both of you shut up**, Sam ordered, even from a distance.

There was another pregnant pause.

Jacob was beyond angry; Paul imprinting on Ava didn't cross his mind in the least when Ava found out about him. Out of everyone, why did it have to be her?! Why did it have to be _him_?! He would have preferred Embry, or even _himself _if need be; why Paul? He couldn't keep his thoughts from drifting to the ill-tempered wolf beside him and Paul growled at him again, sparking a response from Jacob.

**What, you think you have some sort of claim on her?** Jacob snarled quietly, **because you don't.**

**And you do?!** Paul snapped, **she isn't the leech-lover and she isn't yours. Back the **_**fuck**_ **off.**

At that, Jacob pounced forward and Paul stanced himself for another fight. Sam's commanding thoughts broke through again and this time, forced them to stand down. Unable to do nothing else but listen to his command, the wolves continued scouting the surrounding forest.

Both were irritated at the other and now that they were forced to be together without fighting for an extended period of time, they felt the cold unspoken tension settling around them.

Paul – with an instinctive and unrelenting feeling of anxiety over his new imprint – was annoyed at Jacob for shoving his nose into his business. Jacob was acting like he was her _keeper_ and that caused his newfound protectiveness to show through. She didn't belong to anyone, and _especially_ not to Jacob.

Jacob on the other hand, was annoyed that Paul had imprinted altogether. He was even angry at himself for not being at the bonfire instead going to speak to Bella. If he had been there, none of this would have happened. Obviously, the fact that him being there wouldn't have changed anything – as imprinting is something that can't be controlled – didn't cross his mind.

After a near half hour passing with neither voicing their opinions to the other, Jacob broke the silence. Although he wasn't happy about any of this, clashing with his pack brother wasn't something that he wanted to do right now with the possible danger looming over them. The pack hadn't caught wind of the redheaded vampire that had escaped them, so they were all on edge; Sam was going into overdrive to protect the reservation and the town.

Jacob shoved his true feelings aside for the moment. He'd deal with them later.

**How?** Was his single thought to Paul

With Bella, Jake thought he would imprint but it never happened. At least, he didn't think so. But how could Paul imprint on Ava? How could his pack brother imprint on the cousin of the girl he was in love with? It didn't seem possible and it felt like some cruel joke that was being played on him.

**...I didn't mean to, **Paul voiced carefully after a second, eyeing Jacob to the side. **It just happened.**

Momentarily forgetting again that Paul could read his thoughts, Jacob shifted uneasily. He wasn't keen on sharing Ava, she was one of his best friends. The thought of one of his brothers having any connection or bond with her was unsettling.

Paul rumbled lowly, his eyes narrowing at Jacob's thoughts.

**Sorry**. Jacob gave a half-hearted apology. **I've known her for years.**

**What's she like?** Paul finally asked, keeping his sharp eyes fixated on the forest.

Paul was treading slowly. Despite the feeling of wanting to interrogate Jacob on her, he didn't want to cause more tension between the two with the threat surrounding Forks. If he wanted to keep her as safe as possible, he needed to control what he said.

**Stupid.**

Paul immediately snarled and was about to jump back down his throat, when Jacob added, ...**but pretty awesome.**

* * *

Favorite, Follow, and Review!

e.o.c.n Okay, _REAL TALK_. The official storyline of Eclipse is getting longer and longer, and I don't know how I feel about that lmao like, when I first drafted it, it was exactly 15 chapters. Now, I'm pulling, like, 2-3 chapters from the previously written chapters, _who do I think I am_. And I started my fall semester of school, and ya girl is already feeling the stress encroaching on my thinly veiled insanity. Send help and writing motivation, please.

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter: the Uley pack are the stars today bc they're just doing their best and i love them._

**Sam**: Alright, everyone synchronize your watches.  
**Jared**: I don't know how to do that.  
**Paul**: I don't even wear a watch.  
**Jacob**: Time is just a construct.  
**Sam**: Why do I even bother?

.+.

**Sam**: Okay, I called this meeting because some of you don't seem to get along.  
**Jacob**: Paul and I are literally the only ones you called here.

.+.

**Jared**: Come on, group hug! You too, Leah!  
**Leah**: Don't touch me.

.+.

**Paul**: We're brothers.  
**Jacob**: You know, if you take an 'r' out it becomes bother and I relate to that.  
**Seth**: ...brothe?  
**Leah**: Two types of people.

.+.

**Jared, 5 minutes into knowing Sam and Paul:** Not only are we friends, but we're BEST friends.  
**Paul, 1,051,200 minutes into knowing Jared:** I don't claim this man.

.+.

**Sam**: _[sees group of people doing something stupid]  
_**Sam**: God, what idiots.  
**Sam**: _[notices it's his pack]  
_**Sam**: Wait, those are MY idiots.


	24. Chapter 24

**Title**: The Best Of Times: Trailing For Hope  
**Chapter 24**: A Small Look Into The World Of Leah Clearwater, Or Jacob Being Accounted For  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shapeshifter. Follows 'New Moon'. Currently following 'Eclipse'. _There's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: I apologize for any grammatical errors, as I'm lazy. And, we're back in real time of the story! So, not a flashback.

r.r

**The-handprint-onthe-window:** Pretty much, haha, that's exactly what happened! Ava, in general, is a beautiful idiot.

**Sarah Lahey:** Thank you! I really wanted to explore more of his side of everything, since the feelings on his end are definitely stronger. Haha, yeah, he definitely deserved what he got.

**The Girl Who Cried Werewolf**: Aw, thank you! :) Here you go, an update, and I hope you like it!

**Mwinum:** I really hope you keep enjoying them, because I love including them haha some of them are pretty funny. I have a _ton_.

**KG**: I appreciate your message so much :,) Thank you, thank you. Yeah, they're going to be friends for a while, I _did_ warn you all that this is a slow burn! (-ish)

* * *

_Two days later. Thursday. 6:29 AM. Clearwater Home._

Leah Clearwater wasn't someone that many people approached. The scowl on her face was almost always present and despite her pleasing native features, it made her seem cold.

If she was being honest, she liked it; she didn't feel the need to entertain people and be something that she wasn't just so others would like her. But, it _did_ leave room for a near constant feeling of isolation to over take her. The only people she truly cared about was her mother, her brother and her father despite his recent passing.

Once upon a time, the list was much longer. She cared about her friends in high school, the entirety of her extended family, including her cousin Emily Young, and Leah's ex-boyfriend, Sam Uley.

But that was a long time ago.

The second Leah phased, she ran. She was overwhelmed with panic and she didn't know what to do; she couldn't hear anything, except her own devitalizing thoughts as she realized she wasn't in her own body.

Her mother and brother were present, and the upheaval all around Seth had caused him to phase as well. Only he didn't run, he remained frozen in shock as he registered that he was no longer human. The sight of his mother calmed him to the point until Sam Uley arrived and coaxed him back into his human form.

When Sam found out that Leah had phased, the only thing he could do was stare at her mother. Sue was near tears as she recounted that her daughter had phased in the midst of an argument with her, and run off into the forest; her frantic explanation caused Sam to narrow his eyes sharply into the surrounding brush as if Leah would emerge. He cursed as he realized that he wouldn't be able to contact her; in order to be able to be connected to one's thoughts in their wolf form, they had to be accepted into the pack.

He felt a flash of worry go through him; he knew how terrifying it is to phase for the first time. You're confused. Angry. And in a frantic panic. When he first phased, he hid himself away in the forest for two weeks as a wolf. He didn't have anyone to coach him on how to phase back; it wasn't until he calmed down enough one night to fall into a dreamless sleep that he returned to his human form.

Assuring her mother that he would find her no matter what, he quickly gathered the rest of his pack. After letting them know what had happened, the pack members got over their shock as quickly as they could and immediately went on the search for the missing she-wolf. After searching the entire day, they couldn't find her; Sam continued on through the night, determined to keep his promise and find Leah.

Once he realized that it was in vain, Sam had to go back to Sue and tell her that she was still missing; if Leah didn't want to be found, no one stood a chance. Telling Emily that her cousin had phased went as well as he'd expect; she yelled at him, cried and finally the debilitating worry overcame her.

When Leah _did_ eventually arrive home two full days later, rapidly healing cuts littered her tan skin and she was covered in dirt and grime; her mother's heart broke when she saw her oldest child. Leah wouldn't reveal where she went, but at that point, Sue didn't care. She held the girl in her arms and sobbed, her body filled with extreme relief that she was safe.

Leah refused to see Sam that day, opting to stay by her mother and brother's side; the next morning he arrived at their home and she was forced to face him.

"What, you think I'm going to join your stupid little group?" Leah snarled, advancing to get into his face. Who did he think he was? Telling her that it was impossible to go on without joining his pack was idiotic.

There may have been a point where she would have listened to him uncontested, but that was long dead.

"Leah," Sam tried. "You need to be safe. The pack is the best thing for you."

Sue glanced between the two. The history was making this conversation even harder to have and Leah was quickly losing control. Her anger was skyrocketing and Leah narrowed her eyes even more sharply at her past.

Sam remained calm and he held up his hands. "Leah-"

"Leave me alone!" She yelled harshly, cutting him off. Her sight was beginning to go red and she backed up, wrapping her arms around herself.

Leah's mother knew better than to go near her daughter now. She had seen the damage caused by Sam to Emily when he had phased too close to her; standing feet away, she tried soothing her. "Honey, _please_."

Once her mother's voice reached her ears, Leah calmed down slightly to look at her. She felt a wave of rejection when she saw the distance between them; the thought of being at this length for the rest of her life wasn't something that she wanted.

Turning back to Sam, she ignored the new wave of anger that flew over her and spoke, "...can you keep me from changing or not."

"You'll learn control," he spoke carefully.

Leah bit back the acidity of her words and nodded her head. Sam blew out a breath of relief at Leah's acceptance; this was going to be hard, the thoughts that connected the pack members was surely going to reveal painful memories.

* * *

_5:35 PM. Emily Young and Sam Uley's House._

"Jake!" Ava said in surprise, lifting herself off the chair instantly.

Jacob was in the doorway, his face looked hardened and his mouth was pressed in a tight line as he swept over everyone. His brothers all stared at him in shock; they hadn't seen him since he disappeared when Bella left. After catching his thoughts days before, they assumed he was at his house and needed space. Ava had admitted that she went to the Blacks' house the night before and relayed to them what Billy had told her.

When Billy said he needed time, she thought a month. Maybe two, to return back to some semblance of normalcy. Not the very next day.

"Hey…" Jacob said finally.

As Ava moved towards him, everyone almost expected him to disintegrate into thin air.

"How are you?" She asked, repressing the wince at how strange she sounded. Here in front of her was Jacob, one of her closest friends, and she was afraid of saying the wrong thing.

"Yeah," Embry chimed in. "You feeling better?"

"Are you hungry?" Emily added, obsessively plating and unplating the food that had been prepared for the day.

Kim, who was Jared's imprint, was eyeing the group uneasily. She wasn't sure what to make of it, she'd only seen Jacob once or twice but everyone seemed incredibly on edge at his appearance. The only thing that Jared had told her was that Jacob had vanished, but he'd come around when he was ready.

Holding in a collective breath, everyone waited for Jacob to answer. There were two missing faces in the crowd; Leah had refused to follow Sam anywhere that day, instead she was home with her mother and demanded that Seth remain as well. The younger wolf complained, wanting to join in with his new pack brothers but Leah was unrelenting.

Jacob lifted his shoulders half-heartedly before he looked over Ava's head. He stared intensely for a split second before turning back to her. "Can we talk?"

Reeling back at his question, she nodded quickly. "Yeah, totally."

...Ava not noticing the incredibly peeved off shape-shifter over her shoulder, the two of them walked out in complete silence. She couldn't tell if it was awkward or comfortable because she was so on edge, but after a while they slowed to a near stop.

"Wow," Ava voiced, looking around.

There were shallow pools everywhere and the sand, although wet, was dense enough to keep them from sinking in. The air was blowing coolly across her face and she breathed in deeply.

Jacob let a small smile trace his face before sighing out heavily and looking off towards the horizon. She glanced at him from the side, unsure what to say. This had never been an issue before; most of the time she knew what to do when it came to Jake, but this seemed delicate.

"We never really talked about the-_everything_..." Jacob breathed out uneasily, kicking a stray rock.

"...Like, what?" Ava asked; she was assuming he was going to talk about Bella or Victoria.

He swallowed roughly and shrugged his shoulders, taking a second before responding, "the, like, imprinting thing, or…"

Ava furrowed her brows, wary as to why he was bringing this up now. After the conversation with Paul two days before, she had pushed it to the back of her mind and went on without thinking too deeply back on it. Now that he was bringing it up, Ava was a little unnerved and she avoided his gaze for a second.

He was already on edge because of Bella and Edward.

"I guess." She lifted her shoulders, speaking carefully. "What's there to talk about, though. It kinda already happened."

Jacob scoffed quietly, shaking his head. She wasn't getting it. "...Yeah, but you don't have to do anything about it."

"Jake-"

"What's the point," he voiced, his face contorting into a severe scowl as he locked eyes on her. "All it does is-it messes things up, Ava."

"What do you mean?" She recoiled back at his expression. Jacob seemed off and she was afraid of the direction that the conversation was going in.

He shook his head and gestured in the direction of the house. "...This. It isn't something you want. It isn't something _anyone_ wants."

"Jacob-"

"It's dangerous-"

"You sound like Bella-"

"Don't be stupid-"

"Nothing is happening!" She said loudly, voice echoing throughout the empty beach. "I don't know why everyone is so _worried-_"

"Yet," he insisted harshly. "It happened with Sam and Emily. And Jared and Kim, alright? It hasn't happened _yet_, and you can't ignore it."

Ava narrowed her eyes. "I'm not _trying_ to." Relaxing her face from expression, she took a heavy breath to broach the next subject delicately. "...I know you're angry about Bella, and-"

Jacob turned his head sharply in her direction and ground out, "this isn't about her."

"Isn't it always," she snapped finally. This wasn't a good idea, but she was so angry that he was taking his frustrations out on her.

Despite his hands balled into visibly shaking fists, she continued angrily. "It's always about her, Jacob! And I get it! Okay, you-you _love_ her, so when things go wrong you blame me! But it is **not** my fault that she's in love with Edward!"

Her words hung in the air heavily for nearly a minute. Jacob lowered his face; the scowl was wiped and replaced with an exhausted expression. His fists stopped shaking and he lifted his head, pleading eyes meeting hers.

"...This really isn't about her," he started out slowly. "This is about you. Bella made her decision. But you-you didn't..._ask_ for any of this. It was just..._thrown_ at you."

The tension in her shoulders relaxed. "Jake…"

"She knows what she's doing," Jacob continued, downcast. "But...you were supposed to...you're always supposed to be here."

"I am," Ava said immediately, frowning in confusion. "I _am_ here."

"But…" He blew out a heavy breath. "...You're not. Not _really_, now that…"

She remained silent as he continued, "Paul imprinting just messed...it's-it's _taking_ you, okay? You were the one that was always supposed to be here."

A small look of realization fell onto her face as she connected why he was so upset.

Bella had left him for Edward.

And now, he thought Ava was doing the same.

"Jake, I'm not going anywhere," she assured, taking a step towards him. "And, I mean, neither is Bella really. She's still _her_."

"She's not," he said, the bitterness evident.

Ava definitely didn't think he knew about Bella's desire to become a vampire; if Bella had told him without her knowledge, he would have had an even stronger response.

It was on the tip of her tongue, but informing him of Bella's plans would only mean that he'd phase angrily and leave again; as selfish as it sounded, Ava didn't want him to go. In the week that he was gone, she was sick with worry. There was no way she'd risk him leaving and putting himself in danger; surely he'd go and confront Edward and a fight over Bella between the two wasn't wise.

Ava was afraid of his reaction when he eventually _did_ find out; feeling a sting in her eyes when she recalled Bella's stupid decision, she blinked rapidly to prevent her tears from falling.

"She's _not_," Jacob repeated, slowly.

He was feeling an onslaught of different emotions but most of all, he was angry at Bella for leaving him. When Edward left, he was always there. But the _minute_ Edward was trouble, she dropped everything. Her family. _Him_. And Ava was always a constant thing in his life since they were kids; sure, she can get annoying and stubborn, but it had since developed into something endearing. He wanted to yell at her to not make the same mistake that Bella was making, but he knew it was for his entirely self-seeking reasons.

When Paul's thoughts reached him after he phased when he left Bella's house, Jacob was _pissed_. Imprinting wasn't something that he had foreseen at all that night; he thought Ava would have insisted on him being there when she was introduced to the pack, but Embry had basically shoved her towards them.

"I'm not leaving," Ava repeated firmly. "Okay? No matter what..._notion_, you've thought up, erase it. You can't get rid of me."

"Ava…"

"I mean, didn't you know?" She said innocently, crossing her arms matter-of-factly. "This was _all_ just an elaborate scheme, so you can _never_ get rid of me."

He allowed a smirk to fall on his face and he spoke after a few seconds. "If that's the case, I feel sorry for Paul. Must _suck_ knowing he'll be stuck with you for the rest of his life, too."

* * *

_6:10 PM. Emily Young and Sam Uley's House._

His knee bounced repeatedly against the table; she'd been gone with Jacob for a while and he was about to get up to go for a walk. Nowhere in particular. Just nearby. Around Emily's house. First Beach. Basically anywhere that they could have possibly gone.

Jared rolled his eyes, his drink being spilt slightly from the side. He lifted the glass and gave Paul a pointed look. "Can you chill out."

Paul's knee suddenly stopped and he glared at the dark-haired boy. "Shut up."

Embry snickered, interrupted when Jacob and Ava's voices drifted lightly through the kitchen. He glanced behind him then back at Paul, who immediately straightened up and stared at the doorway expectantly as the pair strolled in.

When Ava walked in, she looked much more at ease with Jacob; Paul felt a wave of jealousy but when she sat down in her old seat beside him, he was immediately pleased.

Jacob had eyed him when he walked in and when he suggested that him and Ava step outside to talk, Paul felt an instinctive feeling of anger but he held back. He had _really_ been trying to keep himself in check; the last thing he needed was scaring the hell out of Ava.

Phasing on purpose is one thing; it's instinctual. But when you phase out of anger, shifters begin shaking violently and it looks intense, frightening.

Jacob's attitude shifted from when he first got there to now. He immediately began talking and laughing like he had before the big rejection from the leech-lover, but everyone at this point knew him well enough to know that he was hurting.

Paul resented Bella Swan for a number of reasons. She was willingly associated with vampires. Because of this, Ava was put into constant danger; any of those leeches could lose control and bite her.

She yanked Jacob around like a lap dog.

She was an intrusive little harpy that continued to shove herself into situations that didn't include her.

And when she had shown up at Jacob's house after finding out about the shape-shifters, howling about some halfwitted manipulation ploy, he was blown away at her utter stupidity.

He wasn't keen on voicing any of his opinions about her to Ava. For whatever reason, she seemed to hold the leech-lover closely to her and _that_ was the reason he hated Bella Swan most.

* * *

Favorite, Follow, and Review!

e.o.c.n There's one more chapter left before we get into Eclipse! As a note, there _will_ be a time skip after the next chapter by a few weeks. So by the start of Eclipse, it'll be the end of April.

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Ava**: You better stop raising your voice at me RIGHT NOW.  
**Jacob**: Or what?  
**Ava**: I'll...start crying, and I really don't want to get embarrassed right now.

.+.

**Paul**: You've challenged me to a fight, like, six times since we've started talking.  
**Jacob**: LET'S MAKE IT SEVEN.

.+.

**Jacob**: Bro, ASK ME if I give a fuck!  
**Paul**: Do you give a fuck?  
_*Jacob takes off his sunglasses as sentimental piano music plays*_  
**Jacob**: Of course I do, man. We're brothers.

.+.

**The pack**: Come on! You're not our babysitter!  
**Sam:** No, I'm not. At least babysitters are paid for the shit they go through.

.+.

**Ava**: I'm not just cute, I have a dark side!  
**Paul**: Let's see it then.  
**Ava**: _*makes a face*_  
**Literally the whole Uley pack**: _Aww_.


	25. Chapter 25

**Title**: The Best Of Times: Trailing for Hope  
**Chapter 25**: What The Fuck Is Quil Ateara Doing Here, Or Leah's Unwilling Visitor  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington, permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shape-shifter either. ...No Bella, or Edward-bashing. Follows storyline from "New Moon". _Despite my attempts to write a believable Paul/OC fic, there's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: I apologize for any grammatical errors, as I needed to post this chapter today and I only sped-read lol e.o.c.n the bottom. And, if anyone was curious, these 5 chapters took place from the day after Bella came back from Italy (which was the last week of March) to a week and a half into April. So, two and a half weeks. I don't know why I make things long-winded, it's a habit from BS-ing essays.

r.r

**mercury30:** Thanks for letting me know! I actually sent you a PM. This 'separate p.o.v.' thing was just for the buffer chapters. Next chapter, it'll be the same-ish format only it'll be mostly Ava (third person omniscient, primarily, if you want to get technical). You'll catch on, though, I'm making this explanation more complicated than necessary.

**Lace:** Thank you! You're so sweet. I'm glad you like the format, the rest of the story is in third person omniscient so you'll still get the thoughts from other characters, only it won't be divided like it is now. Much more flow-y.

**brankel1**: Thank you! :)

**The-handprint-onthe-window:** They'll definitely be friendly! You'll just have to keep reading to find out if they become more than just acquaintances haha

**tiamaria89:** Here you go! You caught me just in time, since I'm actually updating this a day early haha I really, really hope you enjoy!

* * *

_The next day. Friday. 4:34 PM. Emily Young and Sam Uley's House._

Ava stared blankly at the new face sitting at the dining table in Emily's home. She wasn't even planning on coming here today, but now she was definitely glad that she had.

"What are you doing here?!"

Quil sat happily, shoving the remainder of his sandwich into his mouth before standing up to greet the shocked girl. Ava went rigid as he gave her a quick hug, Paul's glare over her shoulder startling him to recoil back.

Through the mouthful of food, he spoke, "phased."

Sputtering out a response, she whirled her head to the side to look at Sam. "He's-" Sam's expression was her only answer and she looked back at Quil, dumbfounded. Leah and Seth joining the Uley pack was still heavy on her mind, and now Quil?! _What the hell is going on?!_

"What the hell is going on?" She thought aloud. "Why is this happening?"

Everyone's shock had faded at this point. Quil had phased earlier that morning and while Ava was in school, they quickly grew accustomed to the new addition. Ava was still adjusting seeing little Quil Ateara towering over her; he'd never been _short_, per se, but now he had grown an additional two or three inches. And looked...bigger.

"You're…" Ava shook her head in disbelief. "How many more..."

"I assume we'll be adding a few more soon. The Cullens showing up is setting them off," Sam voiced, eyeing their newest pack brother.

She frowned. "Why didn't they phase before"

Sam blew out a breath. "I really can't say. It could be a...number of reasons. Direct contact. In passing. Even their scent can drift unknowingly."

Quil shrugged at this information and sat back down, reaching for another sandwich. All he had done since that morning was _eat_, he was starving.

* * *

_7:06 PM. River Drive._

Ava tapped on the steering wheel nervously; she was nearing the turn that would determine where she'd be going. Either to her house. Or to the Clearwaters.

Seeing Quil reminded her of the fact that she hadn't gone to see them; now seemed like a good enough time, surely they had a lot on their minds. Sue especially, and Ava genuinely enjoyed speaking to the older woman.

Coming to a stop at the intersection, she glanced forward towards her house then to the road that lead to the Clearwaters. She wasn't sure what she'd even say; it seemed like when it came to them, Ava always felt like she would come up short. Ignoring the nervous knot in her stomach, she turned the wheel onto Alder Street.

Pulling to the side of the road in front of their home, Ava quickly made her way to the front porch and knocked a few times before her bravery faded. After a second, Sue Clearwater opened the door and a smile fell onto her face at the surprise visitor.

"Ava," Sue welcomed, taking a step backwards as a silent invitation. Ava shot her a nervous smile and stepped in, glancing around. The house was nearly pristine, the warm light from the lamp in the living room illuminating the house comfortably.

"Seth isn't home," Sue said quietly. "You just missed him, actually. Leah is in her room."

Ava hovered next to the couch with unease. "I'm sorry if it's a little late. This was kind of last minute."

Sue waved her worry off and gestured towards the seat. "Sit down hon, you know it's fine."

Lowering herself onto the couch, Sue followed and the woman sighed after a few seconds. "...I take it you heard?"

Nodding, Ava gave her a half smile. "Yeah. Everything is just insane. How are you doing, though?"

"We're working through it," Sue smiled tightly. "I appreciate you coming by."

Feeling a new wave of guilt, Ava regretted not coming by earlier. Sue was such a sweet woman. After a few seconds, she continued, tapping the younger girl's knee lightly. "But, how's your uncle and Bella?"

"They're good. You know, with Edward and his family back, Bella is over the moon…" Ava trailed off, shaking her head of the thoughts. She figured that Sue didn't want to hear about the family that played a huge part in her children phasing.

"But Charlie is good," she continued, nodding slightly. "Said something about trying to swing by tomorrow to...fix something?" Ava raised an eyebrow.

Sue let out a small laugh and motioned her head toward the doorway. "_Apparently_, the sink needs fixing."

"Sure you don't want to call a professional?" Ava joked, knowing that Charlie was about as savvy with fixing things as she was.

"I will as soon as he leaves. But don't tell _him_ that," Sue winked, eliciting a quick chuckle from Ava.

Sue suddenly looked over her shoulder and smiled widely. "Leah." She greeted her daughter warmly.

Turning her head, Ava caught Leah's blank expression. She shrunk back slightly, Leah's eyes boring holes into her face. Even her eyes had a guarded veil over them, and Ava wasn't surprised. Leah _was_ an incredibly guarded person, even when she'd seen her as a child, so she didn't take it too personally.

Leah on the other hand didn't know Ava well enough to gauge what her motivations were. She looked a little air-headed in Leah's honest opinion, but she didn't _sound_ stupid when she spoke. She didn't know if Ava's personality was just a front that she used to seem nicer than she was, but she didn't feel the need to make friends with the younger girl.

What Leah _did_ find odd was that Ava hung around the pack and she didn't know what her connection was to them. She knew she was friends with Jacob, but that being the sole reason seemed a little far-fetched. Since Leah had phased for the first time, she had tried her hardest to not do it again; Sam had explained that their thoughts were connected and the last thing Leah wanted was to hear him thinking about Emily.

She eyed Ava before looking at her mother. "Where's Seth?"

Sue pursed her lips for a second, knowing that Leah wasn't going to like the answer. "He's with Sam."

Leah's face immediately formed a scowl and she turned on her heel, stalking back into her room. Seth was too damn excited about all this; he thought it was the _best_ thing that could have happened to him, but he didn't realize the danger that he's now put in. She didn't even care that blaming Sam for them phasing was unfair, he was the only one she found fitting.

Leah shut her door and breathed in heavily, leaning the back of her head on the hardwood. Opening her eyes, she sat down onto her bed and snatched her headphones, plugging them back in. She blasted her music, desperate to forget everything that was going on.

When a muffled knocking was heard after twenty minutes or so, she removed her earbuds and strained her ears for a few seconds. When she heard it again, clearer, she heaved herself up and opened the door a crack.

On the other side stood Ava. Leah fought the desire to slam the door in her face as she had before and she opened the door wider to fully look at the girl; she leaned against the doorway and raised an expectant eyebrow down at her.

Ava was a few inches shorter than Leah. Before she phased, Leah was always considered on the smaller side but in the time that she fell ill with a fever and consequently phased, she had grown a solid five inches. She was still much shorter than her new..._pack_...though, all boys towering over six feet.

"Hey," Ava started, standing her ground as best she could.

Leah – in a moment of kindness she wasn't used to – opened the door even wider and stepped to the side. She didn't want to be this girl's friend, but the curiosity surrounding her was overwhelming and Leah wanted to know what was up.

"Did Sam tell you? About the, you know, _enemies_, or..." Ava said finally, eyeing the she-wolf as she spoke, unsure what was revealed to her. Leah inviting her in was already incredibly surprising when she had been expecting a face full of slightly faded white wood.

Leah snorted and crossed her arms. "..._Yeah_. All that vampire shit is fucking unbelievable." It struck her what Ava had asked and her eyes narrowed sharply. "How do you know about that?"

Ava looked surprised at the question and she answered after a few seconds. "Jake phased in front of me a while back and..."

_Hm_, Leah thought, _that's why this girl hangs around them all the time._ Pretty stupid, if she was being blunt; Leah had only phased once, but she knew that the danger must be substantially elevated being a shape-shifter. _But_, she wasn't going to voice her true opinion; it wasn't her place and at this point in time, she really didn't care enough to worry about someone other than Seth and her mother.

"You know, I meant what I said a while ago," Ava brought up. All she wanted to do was reiterate that whenever Leah needed anything, she would be available.

Leah groaned inwardly; she didn't like talking about these kinds of things, she much preferred talking about _anything_ else. She was preparing to literally kick the girl out when Ava spoke again, "did you draw that?"

Glancing in the direction she was looking, Leah raised her brows slightly. "...Yeah."

On the walls her old hobby hung proudly; they were mostly a mess of lines, in Leah's opinion. Looking at Ava's wide eyes, she _did_ feel a small swell of arrogance as she examined the art closer. "That's _awesome_."

"I don't do it anymore," Leah mentioned absently, squinting at the wall. "It's been a while."

When Sam broke up with her was when she stopped, but she wasn't about to tell _her_ that; she still enjoyed looking at it from time to time, which is why she hung it up. She'd actually forgotten about it until Ava mentioned it now.

"It's still really cool," Ava insisted, remembering her gift to Bella or her eighteenth birthday. "I made an abstract thing a while back."

"Paint?" Leah found herself asking, genuinely curious about the answer.

Ava nodded. "It could have turned out better, honestly. I wrecked my bedroom floor and Charlie still doesn't know."

Leah made an unintentional amused noise from the back of her throat and used her foot to move up the edge of her rug. Ava's eyes followed her actions and saw the part of Leah's floor that was visible was not only stained with old paint splatters, but burnt slightly.

"Pyrography?" Ava asked in disbelief. That was actually what she wanted to do originally for Bella instead of an abstract painting. After some research, she was afraid that she'd accidentally burn all her hair off.

She lowered her foot down and the floor was once again covered. "...Did it once. Almost burned the entire fucking house down." She spoke comfortably without thinking. "My dad was _pissed_."

Ava noticed that she mentioned her father, but she didn't want to comment on it. Leah immediately snapped her mouth shut, realizing her slip. Taking a step backwards, she opened the door. "You should go," she said bluntly, her face warming slightly from embarrassment.

Leah didn't even realize her train of thought until she said it aloud; she refused to talk about her father, even to her mother or Seth. It was a raw subject that she didn't think she'd ever get over but this stupid girl managed to get her guard down for a split second.

Not wanting to upset her, Ava followed Leah's direction. Before Leah had a chance to shut her door, Ava gave her a smile. "It was good to see you, Leah."

Leah didn't respond and shut her door. She hadn't been planning on speaking to the girl more than necessary, only wanting to know her connection to the Uley pack, but yet, _that_ had happened. Mentioning her old hobby and talking about her father wasn't something that she had foreseen; glancing at her walls, she pressed her lips into a tight line.

...She _was_ pretty talented, why did she ever stop?

* * *

_Two days later. Sunday. 6:48 PM. La Push._

Ava eyed the edge of the cliff from a good five meters away.

"I'm not jumping," she deadpanned, wrapping her arms around herself. "You already tried convincing me once and it didn't work."

"You were a baby then," Embry tried, cocking his head to the side.

She thought that by 'going to First Beach' meant the actual beach...not the cliff _next_ to the beach. Of course, Paul had managed to get her up there yet again. The first time was a disaster, Ava refused to even look at them as they jumped.

Rolling her eyes, she took a large, pointed step backwards. "It was, like, two weeks ago."

"You can swim," Paul said smugly, raising his eyebrows. "It's not like you'll drown."

"What if I hit my head?" Ava snipped. "_Then_ I'll drown."

"Then I'll go _before_ you and keep you from drowning," he shot back.

Ava quickly pointed to Quil off to the side, continuing her defense. "Isn't this whole thing for Quil? Why do _I_ have to be here?"

...That was the entire reason she was dragged up there. Apparently, phasing for the first time meant that you had to jump off an incredibly high cliff. Ava wasn't surprised that Leah and Seth weren't present; Leah didn't seem like the type to entertain their foolishness, and there was no way she would let Seth jump.

"It's like an initiation," Jared offered, clasping a hand onto Quil's shoulder and shaking him slightly. "You jump, you're official."

"That's not quite how it works," Sam said pointedly.

"_I'm_ not in the pack," Ava insisted, ignoring their various scoffs. "So, I don't see why you want _me_ to jump."

Quil leaned over to look down the steep drop off, and Ava was assuming he'd come to his senses but he shrugged his shoulders casually. "Let's do it."

Ever since his phasing, he was on a high. When both Embry and Jacob had suddenly stopped hanging out with him, he knew that something was wrong. The three of them had been best friends for years, and all of a sudden they're hanging around the group they used to scoff at? Unlikely.

Turns out that that _something_ was them being shape-shifters and after finding out, he coped with it easily. He was glad that he not only had his best friends back, but now had additional pack brothers. Immediately when he joined, he felt an instinctive bond form with them all; it was like they were _instantly_ blood, and the desire to protect them and the tribe was profuse.

Furrowing her eyebrows, Ava stepped forward once. "Are you serious?"

"Hell yeah," Quil answered, grinning widely.

Suddenly, she had six pairs of eyes fixed on her expectantly. "I'm _not_ jumping," she repeated firmly.

* * *

_Two days later. Tuesday. 4:12 PM. Swan House._

"Ava!" Charlie's voice rang up the stairs, and he side-eyed Paul before continuing, "_Preston_ is here!"

Charlie continued scanning the boy in front of him warily. He'd never heard anything bad about Sam Uley and his friends, but he wasn't sure how to feel about Ava hanging around a bunch of boys.

Or...he _did_ know how he felt, but he wasn't sure how he would bring it up. They seemed like a normal enough group, and he would always be grateful for Sam Uley when he rescued Bella from the woods when she went missing. Instead of suggesting the Ava find some new friends, Charlie opted to just sit back and keep an eye on her; if something seemed off or awry, then he'd step in. His niece wasn't stupid. And she was a spitfire when she wanted to be, she could handle herself.

...But he still didn't like it.

Ava rolled her eyes from upstairs, trying to rush out of her bedroom as quickly as she could. Ever since Paul had become a regular guest at the front door, Charlie had come up with a variety of names to use instead of his.

Once she opened the door, Bella was just coming out of hers. Both girls stared, wide-eyed, at each other for a few seconds. Since their fight over a week prior, Ava had actively tried avoiding her and she had been successful for the most part, thankfully.

Bella shifted nervously and after a few seconds, opened her mouth to speak. Ava immediately brushed past her and down the stairs.

Childish? Sure. But right now, she really couldn't care less.

* * *

Favorite, Follow, and Review!

e.o.c.n Yeah, this is long. SO, I am updating this story one day early. The reason is because tomorrow (when I usually post) I work till after midnight. So, in an effort to change my updating schedule to Friday's, I'll just post this chapter tonight and this FRIDAY I'll post the next chapter. WHICH IS THE START OF ECLIPSE. If anyone skimmed over the review responses the stop of the chapter, I mentioned that the next chapter is a time jump (jumps to the last day of April, so roughly 2-3 weeks), and it's going to be in third person omniscient for the rest of the story. This format was mainly a test to play around with different p.o.v.'s, and I realized that I _love_ third person. Again, mainly Ava's thoughts. It'll make way more sense next chapter, so refrain from leaving confused reviews/PM's just yet haha

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Ava**: Thanks, dad.  
**Ava**: ...Why is everyone staring at me?  
**Jacob**: You just called Charlie 'dad'; you said 'thanks, dad'.  
**Ava**: What? No. No I didn't. I said thanks, _man_.  
**Charlie**: Do you see me as a father figure, Ava?  
**Ava**: No, if anything, I see you as-as...a _bother_ figure. You know, 'cause you're always bothering me.

.+.

**Quil**: I thought the shape-shifters were a myth.  
**Sam**: Well, you were myth-taken.

.+.

**Charlie**: Listen up teens, there's nothing 'meme' about smoking cigarettes. It's not 'netflix and chill' to take drugs. Fidget spin yourself into church.

.+.

**Bella**: I just want you to stop saying odd shit.  
**Bella**: Just stop.  
**Bella**: Now, did you get any sleep last night?  
**Edward**: I don't sleep.  
**Edward, looking past Bella, a far-off look in his eyes:** Only dream.  
**Bella**:


	26. Chapter 26

**Title**: The Best Of Times: Trailing for Hope  
**Chapter 26**: Same, New Beginnings, or Will Things Ever Resolve  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington, permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shape-shifter either. ...No Bella, or Edward-bashing. Follows storyline from "New Moon". _Despite my attempts to write a believable Paul/OC fic, there's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: Okay, so _this_ is the first official chapter of Eclipse. Once the ball gets rolling on the drama and stuff (which, I'm ball-parking, around chapter 28-29), everything will follow pretty quickly.

I hope no one hates me, but I am switching up the format (still in third person, don't you worry haha). Nothing insane, I'm just opting out of writing the 'character-centric' parts (in the old format, I'd bold the name at the top before their 'part'), and instead I'm just solely writing in third-person omniscient. Makes things way simpler, and this is going to be the format for the _reeest_ of this story. Again, I probably made this explanation more complicated, but just read the chapter and it'll make sense lol

As I mentioned the last two chapters, this has a time skip of about 2-3 weeks from the last chapter. I apologize for any grammatical mistakes, as I'm not a robot.

r.r

**Sting3**: You left me three reviews! Thank you so, so much and I really hope you continue to enjoy the story :)

**angelacorus**: Gracias! Estoy feliz que te haya gustado!

**Laura221**: Hmm, mayhaps. Haha, it'd definitely be an interesting dynamic.

**AnonymousFame**: I'M GLAD YOU LOVE THE QUOTES BC I LOVE INCLUDING THEM. I try my best to describe the characters accurately, but sometimes I second guess myself, so I thank you v much for the compliment :,)

**brankel1**: Thank you!

**lexi888**: Next chapter is here!

**The-handprint-onthe-window**: Hell yeah, GOOD FOR LEAH. I love Leah.

**Jane**: We'll see haha, Ava's a scaredy-cat. Definitely more Paul/Ava in these chapters. Not _this_ chapter really, since I'm setting the scene, but in the upcoming one's you'll regularly see it. Yeah, Eclipse was actually my favorite book in the series.

* * *

_2:45 PM. Sea-Tac International Airport._

_Bouncing happily on the balls of her feet, Ava looked around impatiently for Bella and Charlie. After not seeing either for _much_ too long, she was filled with tremendous pent-up energy._

_When she felt someone slam into her from behind and wrap their arms around her torso, she yelped in surprise. Maneuvering her body, the top of Bella's head was pressed into Ava's side._

"_Hi!" Ava exclaimed, returning the tight hug once she managed to turn her body fully._

"_Hey," Bella mumbled back, her cheek pressed into her cousin's shoulder; the last time Bella had seen her, Renée had flown out her as a surprise for Bella on her 17th birthday the year prior._

_Charlie emerged out of the throngs of people and he chuckled seeing the two of them; Ava with her arms wrapped around Bella's neck, and Bella with hers wrapped around Ava's waist._

_Making his way over, he tapped the top of Bella's head. "All right, my turn."_

_Bella released her, a rare, wide smile on her face and Charlie took her place. "Hey, kid," he greeted, ruffling Ava's hair as he pulled back. "How was the flight?"_

_When his older sister had called him - relaying that she and her ex-husband were both moving out of state - he had an inkling to what she was suggesting. Of course, he readily accepted the responsibility; not only because of his own affections to the girl, but because having her around would be a good thing for his own daughter, Bella._

_Truth be told, his daughter's boyfriend, Edward, was beginning to grate on his very patient nerves. He was a nice enough kid, but there was always something mysterious that surrounded him when he was around; it made Charlie uneasy about allowing him to be around Bella._

_Ava and Bella had been inseparable since birth. They were nearly two years apart, so growing up Ava was always followed her cousin's lead, and Bella never minded. She enjoyed having Ava follow her around as a near constant shadow._

"_Terrible." Ava flung an arm around Bella's shoulders and continued dramatically, "can you believe they stuck me in _economy_."_

_Charlie rolled his eyes before motioning to the baggage handlers beside Ava to follow him. They moved the large cart in the designated direction and Ava tightened her hold around Bella, putting her into a headlock and both girls stumbling after Charlie happily._

* * *

_introduction._

It had been over four weeks since Ava and Bella had an actual conversation that wasn't laced with malice and heated words. Not that she had been counting. It seemed that the argument when Bella got back from Italy had been the final straw.

After everything that happened within the last six months; the Cullens leaving, Bella falling into her depression for months, finally seeing her smile after spending time with Jake, Jake avoiding them only to find out he was a _shape-shifter_.

One of his pack brothers _imprinting_ on Ava and leaving her confused as to how to feel, Alice taking Bella to Italy to save Edward from some...Volturi, and Ava's realization of Bella's utter selfishness, she was completely overwhelmed.

Ava's anger wasn't as snappish as it was initially, now it had bubbled down to a dull, pulsating irritation. Bella was even mimicking her attitude. In the beginning, she had tried getting Ava to talk to her but after she continuously disregarded her apologies, she stopped. Ava did feel guilty at first, missing her cousin's dry sense of humor and presence, but then she remembered Jake.

Jake, who despite it all, was still in love with her.

Some of the guys mentioned his thoughts every once in a while when he wasn't around, trying to see if she knew anything about Bella trying to contact him. Even his father was getting more and more worried.

Ava also found herself hanging around the rest of the pack, consisting of new faces. Collin Littlesea and Brady Fuller phasing for the first time, joining in after Leah, Seth, and Quil. Brady being Leah and Seth's young cousin.

Both boys became attached almost immediately to Ava and Emily; after all, they were some of the first people they met that were in on the Quileute secret. When they phased, nearly back to back of one another, Sam had brought them back to Emily's. Once he helped them phase back into their human forms, he explained further about what had happened to them; they were excited and wanted to get started practicing as soon as possible.

Sam, similarly to when Seth first joined, told them that they were still too young. Right now, they were held on a tight leash, only learning the basics and nothing too complicated that could hurt them or others.

They were energetic kids and Collin had developed quite the crush on Leah; he thought of her as 'the most beautiful girl in the world'. It was pretty entertaining, watching their interactions; Leah would constantly snap at him to get out of her way and he would just stare after her dumbly. He was young, so it's not like Ava blamed him. Leah _was_ very beautiful with her dark features.

Brady on the other hand, could almost always be found talking Ava's ear off. She didn't think he had a crush, but Emily disagreed and always teased the life out of the young boy. Mostly everyone thought it was sweet, always eliciting a sour expression from Paul.

The two of them weren't together, per se, so he tried keeping his anger at bay. Brady did his best to steer out of his path, but sometimes his glare was enough to make him shrink back. The number of times both Ava and Leah had to snap at Paul to quit acting like a child was beginning to get ridiculous. The kid was pretty relentless though; with the two girls, as well as Sam telling Paul to stand down, he had gotten more comfortable.

Despite this, Ava had grown closer to everyone individually much to Paul's chagrin.

He complained constantly, saying that he needed more time than everyone else.

_"For my health," he insisted one afternoon. "It's an actual thing."_

_I rolled my eyes at his dramatic answer. "It's not like you'll die."_

"_How would _you_ know?" He shot back, nearly pouting. "Even Sam wouldn't, he's around Emily all the time. You spend all your time with the pups."_

"_Collin and Brady," I corrected, enunciating their names heavily. "They're cute kids, leave them alone."_

_Paul scoffed. "Cute. _Stupid_, you mean."_

Paul and herself were caught in limbo. Both teetering across a line that separated them from 'friends' to 'more? than friends'; initially, she wasn't sure how to feel but after more time was spent around him and the rest of the pack, she didn't hate it completely. Ava knew that if she proposed an actual relationship he'd immediately jump at the idea but she was still unsure, afraid of messing things up.

She liked the way things were and didn't want anything to change. Paul – while Bella was gone, and even when she had come back – quickly replaced the ache in Ava's heart when she thought of her. _Even,_ with his bouts of jealousy and crude language. And now, she depended on him even more since Bella had actively stopped trying to get Ava to forgive her.

Sometimes she found herself comparing them to Jacob and Bella. Jacob pining after Bella and – after Edward left – she used him to fill the hole that he had left behind. She'd shake the thought out of her head as soon as it came; she had _told_ Paul that she felt overwhelmed with everything, _including him_, and they'd be friends indefinitely. Only at the time, she wasn't anticipating developing actual feelings.

Ava had small crushes before but they'd usually end within a few weeks; she'd only had one boyfriend in her life, and even _that_ was incredibly short-lived in the middle of their sophomore year. This was the first feeling she had that suggested it would last much longer than that and she was proceeding with extreme caution.

I need to man up,_ I thought suddenly, glaring at the sand in between my crossed legs, _I'm being a wimp.

_After speaking with Jake, a little over a week ago, the stupid crush I had on Paul reared its head once again. I wanted nothing more than to talk to Paul about it; unfortunately, the thought of actually telling him made me feel physically ill and I kept overthinking myself out of the decision._

"_What's with you?"_

_I lifted my head. "What?"_

"_Your face." Paul gestured vaguely to his own. "You looked pissed off or something."_

_I shook my head quickly, embarrassed. "I'm fine." I stared past him for a second before moving to stand up. "We should go. Emily will bite our heads off if we're late again."_

_He groaned and leaned back onto his hands, digging them into the rough sand. "What's a few more minutes. She won't mind."_

_Rolling my eyes, I nudged him with my foot. "Come on. If we don't get there Seth, Brady and Collin will think they can get a bigger portion."_

_When I said that, he snapped his eyes open, remembering that the younger pack members always get first dibs. He jolted up and grabbed my hand, easily enveloping it in his much larger one and tugging it forward._

"_Hold on." I said between breaths. "I'm not as fast-_hey_!"_

* * *

_Sunday. 3:58 PM. Swan House._

Ava leaned over the couch to look at what Charlie was reading from the paper: _**MURDERS, DISAPPEARANCES, POSSIBLE WORK OF A SERIAL KILLER.**_

"Jeez," she breathed out. "That's scary."

"Je-_sus_, Ava." Charlie leaned forward, alarmed at the voice in his ear. He scratched his head for a second before gesturing outside once. "...I thought you were with, ah, _Pole_."

She raised her eyebrows lazily. "Paul," she corrected. "Pole isn't a name."

He gave her an impassive look and she opened her mouth to continue when the front door opened. Bella walked into the living room, hesitating upon seeing Ava, before moving to sit down beside her father.

Charlie glanced at the clock beside him. "4 o'clock on the dot. That kid trying to brown-nose me now or something?"

Bella chuckled softly. "He has a name."

Ava let out a small breath of air. "Seems like forgetting names has become a habit." Bella looked up and smiled softly in her direction before turning back to her father.

At this point, Bella would take whatever form of acknowledgment that she had spoken from her cousin. Even though she had stopped trying to get Ava to speak to her, she desperately wanted their relationship to go back to how it was. It had been too long since they'd spoken comfortably; the only times Ava would say anything to her was when it was absolutely necessary. Usually, it was when Charlie wanted to relay a message to the other girl that he was fully capable of doing himself, but even _he_ was getting desperate.

"Now he's too punctual for you?" Bella continued.

Charlie clicked his tongue in annoyance, turning back to his paper before sighing out and dropping it onto the coffee table. "Okay," he started. "You understand why you're being punished, right?"

He turned fully towards Bella and she nodded. "I know, I put you through hell."

He affirmed, nodding his head. "Yes, you did. But I have other reasons for grounding you. Like...uhh…" He took an uncomfortable breath.

Ava was going to turn around and head to her room when he waved over his shoulder. "Ava, maybe you should, uh, hear this too...just-just come around."

She shifted uneasily for a second but followed his direction, moving around the couch and sitting down in the armchair next to Bella. "I just want you to get some separation from him," he said finally, still addressing his daughter.

Bella had heard this tune many times before from her father. She understood that he was trying to help, but it was beginning to grate against her patience; Edward would always be her everything.

What she _didn't_ understand was why her father would give her the same speech over and over again, when Ava was doing nearly the same thing. Every time Bella noticed that Ava wasn't home, she immediately knew where she was. On the reservation. From her first realization that Ava was becoming closer with other people, Bella felt an uncontrollable ache of resentment towards the Uley pack.

She wasn't used to it. She wasn't one to get jealous, but with Ava's diverted attention it was hard not to. She never realized that as Ava got more attached to her, the same thing was happening to Bella.

Ava was unsure why she was present. Just as she had a seeming chance to ask, Bella frowned and scoffed quietly. "Dad, there's nothing you can say. Edward is my life," she finished firmly.

Charlie turned and raised his eyebrows at his niece defeatedly, grabbing his beer and taking a large sip. "Yeah, I'm gathering that."

"So, all right, how about this?" He suggested after a second. "I'll make you a deal. You're not grounded anymore...if...if you use your new-found freedom to see some of your other friends, too, like…" he trailed off and it hit Ava why Charlie wanted her present.

"Like, ah, Jacob?" He suggested, holding a palm out to Ava. "You've seen him."

"I have," she replied shortly, avoiding Bella's look in her direction. "He's not doing too good."

"He's not," Charlie agreed and turned back to Bella. "He's going through a really tough time right now. His dad's really worried about him. I remember when that was you." He nodded once at her. "You needed a friend. I wasn't getting through to you. Neither was Ava, and Jake was there."

Bella remained silent for a few seconds before exhaling. "I'll try…promise."

There was a brief pause amongst them when Bella said suddenly, "Ava...can we…?" She motioned her head gently towards the doorway. She saw in relief that Ava stood up and Bella shot up, following behind closely.

"Do you...I mean, I haven't tried calling lately, but is-is he...okay?"

Ava stared at her blankly for a few seconds before responding, "no. He's not okay, hasn't been for a few weeks now," she replied pointedly.

She looked down and whispered, "I'm _trying_, Ava. I tried calling him, but he won't call me back."

"You have to try harder," Ava whispered harshly, grabbing her arm and moving farther out of earshot from Charlie. "You need to go see him. Actually. _In person_."

"I know. Okay, I know. Today, I'll...I'll try and go see him," she promised. Ava eyed Bella for a second, releasing her grasp on her arm. "Alright...tell me how it goes."

"You don't-you're not coming?" Bella asked, startled, remembering in the past how she'd always tag along.

Ava sent her an unamused smile. "Nope. You made your bed, now lie in it."

* * *

_The next day. Monday. 12:20 PM. Forks High School._

Bella hadn't gone to see Jake the day before. Her car broke down and she was unable to take Charlie's since something had come up at the station; she was too nervous of the current position with her cousin to ask for Ava's.

Ava was seated in her normal seat at lunch the next day, sandwiched between Angela and Mike.

"I just can't believe you're younger than us," Jessica complained, staring at her. "Like, you're 16, and you're graduating."

"It's because she's a genius, right?" Eric insisted. "_Certifiable_. Why aren't _you_ valedictorian?"

"Graduating a year early doesn't mean you're smart enough to be valedictorian." Ava rolled her eyes while Jessica proudly straightened up. "It just means you have enough credits. And I'm, like, a _month_ away from 17."

Her parents had insisted on taking every AP class she could at her old schools, and advised against taking any elective classes. Instead of taking an extra art class that only counted for one credit, why not take an extra math that counted for two? It had been that way since she started junior high school; despite being surrounded by kids that were in the grade above her, no one was ever rude or acted strangely towards her. Many even being impressed that she had managed to get into the class in the first place. It wasn't until Ava entered tenth grade that she realized that most of her peers were an entire year behind in terms of credits.

At the time, she didn't care. But now, it was coming in handy; her birthday was during the summer and that meant she was graduating high school at the age of sixteen, just shy of seventeen.

"You know what?" Mike proclaimed suddenly and he slammed a fist onto the table startling everyone around them. "Jess, you said you needed help on your speech and _I'm_ gonna do it."

"No one asked you to-" Jessica was cut off as Mike loudly waved her off and said it would be no problem. Eventually after a few minutes, he managed to scrawl down a few sentences of his mock speech down on a napkin.

Ava saw Bella and Edward walk into the cafeteria, making their way towards the group. Since their return, the pair had taken to sitting with her and Bella's group of friends during the lunch period.

They sat themselves down, everyone welcoming them, and Ava nodded once. She didn't have too much of a problem with any of the Cullens...it was just Bella that had received the _really_ short end of the stick. As far as Ava knew, they had left to protect her and help her move on with a normal life; it was Bella that had reacted in such a negative way and put herself in danger time after time instead of moving _on_.

Mike's face brightened at the prospect of more opinions. "Just in time! All right, check it out." He cleared his throat before he continued, "'My fellow students', right? Good?"

He turned towards Eric and Jessica. "Cute," Jessica replied half-heartedly as Eric nodded vehemently in support of his best friend. "Good."

"'We are the future,'" Mike continued. "'Anything is possible if you just believe.'"

"Perfect," Eric insisted. Mike gave a cocky look, flinging the speech at Jessica. "And you got yourself a speech."

Jessica nodded sarcastically. "No, this'll be my speech when I want everyone to throw diplomas at my head." She crumpled up the napkin and threw it at Mike's face. "So, thank you."

"It wasn't that bad," Ava tried, and Jessica scoffed in disbelief.

Mike turned towards her. "_Thank_ you, see? It wasn't that bad. Jessica, I'd save that napkin if I were you."

He held up his index finger in realization. "_In_ _fact_, you gotta embrace the clichés, Jess."

"They _are_ the bread and butter of all valedictorians." Eric nodded.

Angela hummed from beside him. "And that is why you are not valedictorian."

"Jess doesn't need clichés," Bella chimed in, looking at the girl with a smile. "The speech is gonna be epic."

"Epic," Jessica repeated. "It'll change lives."

As she said that, Jasper and Alice had sunk themselves into the open seats and Ava blinked with surprise. Alice gave Ava, Bella and Edward a sly look before bursting out, "I've decided to throw a party."

Jasper continued, "after all, how many times are we gonna graduate high school?"

"A _party_? At...your place?" Angela asked, gesturing to Alice with her pen.

Jessica turned towards the pair, star-struck. "I've never seen your house."

Eric leaned over and pointed out ominously, "_no one's_ ever seen their house."

Giving Alice a dry look, Edward added, "another party, Alice?"

"It'll be fun," Alice insisted. "And Ava didn't go to the last one."

"Probably for the best," Ava mumbled quietly, remembering how that night had turned out for everyone involved.

The trio of vampires sent her slightly sheepish looks and Bella – not having their extraordinary hearing – raised an eyebrow at Alice. "Yeah, _fun_. That's what you said last time."

Alice looked like she was going to respond when she suddenly leaned back, her face contorted with a strange expression and she stared dazedly at the cafeteria table.

Immediately realizing what was going on, Bella tried diverting the attention from her. "Hey, Angela."

"Yeah?" Angela turned, catching the attention of the rest of the table.

Bella leaned over. "Do you need help with those?"

"Oh, yeah." Ava tacked on quickly, grabbing a paper from Angela and handing one to Bella. "The colors are pretty cool, but you might need some..." she continued rambling.

Angela was designing a flyer and they continued talking about the color scheme as Alice snapped out of her vision. She remained silent the rest of the period, not speaking to either Ava or Bella about what she had seen.

* * *

_6:48 PM. Swan House._

That evening, her, Bella, and Charlie had dinner, Charlie bringing up Bella going to Florida to visit her mother.

"Really?" Ava asked, surprised. "...How long, like, a few days or…?" Despite her cold attitude towards Bella in the past weeks, having her gone still made Ava uneasy.

"Yeah," Bella answered instantly, glad that she was speaking to her directly. "Just the weekend, I think, so…"

Under other circumstances, Bella would have offered the extra ticket to Ava; Renee always asked about her self-proclaimed niece. Despite her and Charlie's divorce, Renee was glad that Bella had someone like Ava in her life; she had met the girl a handful of times and even though they weren't blood, Renee considered Ava family.

"She has an extra ticket," Charlie blurted out desperately. "Why don't you make it a-a girls trip or something, hm?"

He gave Ava an expectant look and she tried holding back an amused smile, already figuring that he wanted to prevent Edward from being the plus one.

Ava shook her head, chuckling slightly. "I don't think so. I have plans."

Charlie frowned, stabbing at his meal and leaning back into his chair defeatedly. "With, uh, what was it? _Pail_?"

"Paul," Ava corrected instinctively. "And kind of. I wanted to go to Emily's. Maybe see Jake, but he'll probably be there. ..._Plus_, Jessica is threatening to drag Angela and I to Port Angeles on Saturday, is that okay?"

"Hm," Charlie grunted. "Yeah, yeah." As an afterthought, he added, "Paul," he enunciated. "Always around, that kid..."

Charlie had warmed slightly, but he still refused to use his actual name; he felt the need to establish his authority somehow since the kid was already a good four inches taller than he was. If Charlie was being honest, the fact that he knew Sam Uley played a part in his attitude towards him. _And_ that he fixed their front door after Ava had..._apparently_...kicked it in.

"I wouldn't say that." Ava rolled her eyes discreetly, glancing at Bella and noticing her mouth in a tight line. "We're friends."

"Maybe some, like, distance wouldn't hurt either," Bella mumbled out quietly before she widened her eyes at the fact that she had spoken aloud.

Ava mashed her lips together and narrowed her eyes. With Bella, it was one step forward and two steps back. Charlie coughed, surprised at his daughter's snide remark; Bella was a calm, stoic girl and this was out of character.

"Well, Paul won't be dragging me to Italy any time soon," Ava replied casually, taking a sip of her water before continuing through Bella's silence. "_So_, I think if anyone needs a little _distance_, it's not me."

Charlie cleared his throat again, very obviously trying to diffuse the situation. "Well, let's, uh, let's-let's just keep eating," he suggested, shoveling a forkful of mashed potatoes into his mouth. He gestured to the plates in front of Ava and Bella and motioned for them to eat.

"This is...great," he continued, nodding his head and pointing to his plate. "Really, this is just _fantastic_."

* * *

Favorite and Follow! And if you have a second, leave a review and tell me what you think!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Ava:** *accidentally brushes hand against Paul's*  
**Paul:** *aggressively grabbing Ava's hand* Fucking commit to it.

.+.

[Ava, Bella, and Charlie having dinner]

**Bella, tapping her fork on her plate:**  
**Ava, taps her fork back in response:**  
**Charlie:** Stop that.  
**Bella:** Stop what?  
**Charlie:** You're talking about me in Morse code.  
**Ava:** Yes, that's what we're doing. In our very limited free time, we took a class on a very outdated, very unnecessary form of communication just so we could talk about you in front of you.  
_[Later]_  
**Ava and Bella, laughing and high-fiving:** That's exactly what we did.

.+.

**Jessica:** I'm over this fake ass school with all these fake ass people.  
**Random girl passing by:** Hey!  
**Jessica:** Hey!  
**Jessica, turning back around:** Fucking bitch.

.+.

**Collin**: You have to stop sending me those mixed messages.  
**Leah**: 'I don't like you' and 'go away' are not mixed messages.


	27. Chapter 27

**Title**: The Best Of Times: Trailing for Hope  
**Chapter 27**: People-Pleaser, But Only With You, or Once, My Dear, We Were As Thick As Thieves  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington, permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shape-shifter either. ...No Bella, or Edward-bashing. Follows storyline from "New Moon". _Despite my attempts to write a believable Paul/OC fic, there's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: I apologize for any grammatical errors, as I am hungry.

r.r.

**salvatoresister887**: Thank you! If I'm being honest, the quotes are my actual favorite part lol i hope you like the chapter!

**brankel1**: Thank you!

**Jane**: There'll probably end up being more of that haha and yeah, Bella is a little irritated with how everything is going right now.

* * *

_The next day. Tuesday. 4:32 PM. Emily Young and Sam Uley's House._

"Be nice," Ava hissed from beside Paul. She didn't even have to look at his face, his stiffened frame hadn't gone unnoticed.

"I _am_," he quipped.

Paul's frown had deepened more if possible upon hearing Ava's command; he stared at the young pup barreling into the house with Collin in tow. The fact that Paul was present would hopefully deter Brady on taking his imprint's attention, but sometimes the exuberant wolf was still insistent on trying to talk to her.

Occasionally, Paul's glare was enough to get him to give it up, but the more the kid talked his annoyance grew. It was only when Ava was around, he took a quick notice.

When he'd train with the new wolves – as was part of his responsibility being higher in rank – it was fine; he was a tough teacher but he, Jared and Sam acted the same with all their new pack members. He'd roughhouse and joke with them in their wolf forms but as soon as Brady's thoughts snapped to Ava, he was immediately irritated. He had the same reaction when any of his other pack members got too close; his temper had been under control, so he's managed thus far to keep himself from phasing.

He was pretty satisfied, despite what others might think. He never enjoyed getting angry so easily and he much preferred having control on when and where he phased. Ava had taken a happy note to this as well, mentioning it casually one day and he had taken pride in the fact that she'd noticed his progress.

Both boy's eyes lit up when they caught sight of Emily and Ava present. Brady made a pit stop with Emily before taking the seat closest to Ava.

Collin was still with Emily, leaning forward on his elbows. "Where's Sam?"

Emily looked thoughtfully at the boy for a second. "He should be here soon. I think he was at Sue's."

Collin deflated slightly before brightening. "And Leah?"

She allowed a sad smile to fall onto her lips before she spoke, "probably at her house."

"Have you guys practiced today?" Ava chimed in, trying to divert the topic. Emily was still raw about Leah joining the pack; she cared deeply about her, and the thought that Leah truly hated her hurt her immensely.

Paul continued glowering silently at the mention of Leah. Ava hanging around the sole female wolf bothered him to no end. Leah was still new and she needed to learn control, but she hadn't been exactly open to the pack teaching her. She only joined them scarcely on a patrol or a training session; Sam wasn't as strict with her yet, still getting accustomed to the fact that his ex-girlfriend was now part of his pack. Paul wanted nothing more than to demand that Ava stay away from her, _but_ he managed to land a stubborn one, and he knew that having a conversation with Ava on who she can and can't hang out with was already a lost battle.

The boys turned in Ava's direction and Collin pouted immediately, resting his head on his hand. "_No_. We were going to ask Sam."

"Well, Paul's here," she said brightly, clasping her hand onto his shoulder.

Paul coughed violently at the sudden request and he whipped his head to face the now overly-excited wolves.

He shot Jared a look, but the boy in question looked elsewhere and paid him no mind. Realizing he was on his own, he ground his teeth together in annoyance. Entertaining two 13-year-olds wasn't exactly on his to-do list; Ava only gave him an innocent smile before gesturing with her head towards the young boys.

"Fine," he muttered bitterly, lifting himself from his chair. As Ava moved to join him, he quickly lowered her. "_You're_ staying here."

An indignant expression fell on her face and she scoffed indignantly. "_Why_."

"_They're_ phasing," he said dryly, already making his way around the dining table. "And _you're_ staying out of the way."

Due to their inexperience, Paul wasn't going to risk having Ava _any_where near them, lest one gets too close and phases into their wolf forms. Not to mention their bare forms when they phase back.

* * *

_8:32 PM. Clearwater House._

"I mean, _really_, how many more stupid essays am I going to have to do?" Ava chattered. She fingered the book in her hands, flicking through the pages lazily. She was talking absently, filling the unavoidable silence if she stopped; Leah wasn't exactly a riveting conversationalist.

She had formed the habit of swinging by the Clearwaters' when she stopped by Emily's, on occasion. I mean, she was already on the reservation, so she didn't think it was too out of the way. She would talk to Sue for a bit before slinking her way towards Leah's room. Seth usually wasn't home, always finding some reason to tag along with Sam, despite not being allowed to do very much.

"You'd think that graduating would entail _less_ work," Ava continued. She eyed Leah to the side, lounged on her bed. "Did _you_ have to do so much?"

Leah glanced up, meeting Ava's inquisitive stare. "No. And if we did, I wouldn't have done it."

Ava snorted in amusement, placing the book back onto her shelf and taking a step towards her. She leaned her head casually to the side, hoping to sneak a peek at what Leah was working on.

She let out a scoff, angling it away from her eyes. "Nice try."

Ava pushed her lips out, an exaggerated pout prominent. "Come on. You never let me see."

"Then why would I let you now?" Leah raised a brow.

Ava let her expression drop and crossed her arms. "Because I always keep you company."

Leah rolled her eyes. "I never ask you to come here. The _exit_ is right there." As she finished, she pointed her pencil towards the door.

Opting not to answer her blunt statement, Ava instead picked up the sole sketchbook that Leah had permitted her to see. "I swear, I'm just going to refuse to do anymore work. That way…"

Leah tuned her out and broadened her pencil strokes, letting her mind drift off as normal. Ava never stopped talking anyway, most of the time about undirected topics that didn't require a reply; the girl was _talkative_, and she somehow manages to talk about nothing and everything at the same time.

She could hear Ava switching topics, talking about some friend who was valedictorian – Leah just hummed in an attempt to sound like she was following along.

"…She keeps freaking out over the speech…"

"Really," Leah mumbled. She kept refining the details of her drawing, not paying the girl much mind; it wasn't until Leah heard her name called again that she looked up, exasperated. "What?" She barked.

Ava, already used to Leah's harsh demeanor, took it into stride. "I _said_, even though I _know_ you don't want to hear this, have you talked to anyone in the pack?"

Leah turned her attention away. "I'm talking to you."

"_I'm_ not in the pack," she deadpanned. "I meant anyone else, or-?"

"No," Leah bit out, nearly snapping the pencil in half.

She didn't want to talk about it; she had done everything in her power these weeks to stay away from everyone. _Especially_ now that they had access to her innermost thoughts. The first time she phased after accepting the pack, she was overwhelmed.

Thoughts were slamming her in every direction, but two stood out to her immediately. Sam and Paul's seemingly never-ending thoughts on Emily and Ava, respectively.

That was when everything made much more sense; Ava was always around, not just because Jacob had phased in front of her causing him and Billy to reveal the secret, but because Paul had some sort of connection with the girl.

It wasn't until after she phased back that imprinting was explained to her – and Sam of all people was explaining it. Instead of understanding – like she was sure Sam was hoping – she began growing even more hostile, and the knowledge caused her to lash out towards her pack members any chance she could.

It wasn't fair. Why was the rest of the pack happily thinking about their other half's, while _she_ was alone?

"You should, soon," Ava voiced, trying to look busy by tracing the old graphite lines of Leah's past sketches.

"I already know that," the older girl snapped.

"Emily is worried," Ava rushed out, immediately regretting her words.

She watched Leah intently in case she got up and smacked her. Ava didn't like pushing buttons that clearly didn't want to be pushed, but she wanted Leah to realize that she wasn't alone; she wasn't normally like this, urging a response. Ava was content with the arguably amicable state of their relationship.

Leah felt a flash of familiar feelings hit her, Sam and Emily crossing her mind unconsciously.

She still loved Sam. So much. And when she phases she can't stop her thoughts from spreading to everyone; she was ashamed and embarrassed that they all knew her true, long-buried feelings.

Leah had only met up with everyone very, _very_ rarely off-duty in the time she'd been in the pack; she made it a point to completely ignore her distant cousin as much as she could, which luckily was most of the time. It seemed like Emily didn't know how to approach her anymore either.

After a lingering silence, Ava spoke, "I'm sorry." She knew she shouldn't have opened her big mouth, and she feared Leah's surely declining patience.

Leah continued the stagnant silence. She didn't want to press the subject anymore and seeing the guilty, kicked-puppy expression that the idiot had on, just made her want to kick her out of her room.

So, she did. "I'm busy."

With only a small, embarrassed smile, Ava exited the room. Nothing more needed to be said on Leah's part.

When she left, Leah continued glaring at the shut door. Thoughts that she was hoping would be left alone were now buzzing around in her head. Normally, drawing helped calm her. Help her forget about how everything was so _fucked_ up.

She hated the situation she was in.

When she found out about imprinting, she'd never admit it, but Leah was near tears. It took all she had to not scream. How? _How_ could everything be so unfair?

She didn't understand how Emily could have taken _everything_ from her in a second, and now Sam was bound to her for the rest of his life. It was _simple_ blaming Emily and Sam for abandoning her, and now she was supposed to believe that it was something that just _happened_? It sounded impossible, and Leah wasn't keen on believing anything that came out of Sam's mouth.

Yet…that would be the only explanation that she could derive that would explain Ava's constant appearance. Leah definitely didn't think it was the pack's invigorating company.

She truly wanted to resent the girl. After all, she was a part of it. Maybe not directly, but she was still willingly involved with them, despite knowing the danger that surrounded.

Disregarding the girl's seeming lack of common sense, Leah would go as far as to say that they were in a tentative companionship. Leah, despite her initial interpretation of her, actually enjoyed the younger girl's company; the first time Ava came to the house after Leah slipped and spoke about her father, she immediately dismissed her.

After she persisted over three consecutive days, Leah caved, annoyed at the knocking. They spent a chunk of their time in silence the first few days before Ava – who Leah had come to learn, liked talking – broke the silence. She reminded her of her younger brother in a few ways, despite the age difference.

Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind. Leah stopped her hand and glanced at her calendar, counting the days. Stopping abruptly, she counted again and furrowed her brows in confusion.

Weird...she was late.

* * *

_Two days later. Thursday. 8:10 PM. Swan House._

Bella shifted uneasily in front of Ava's bedroom door. Lifting her hand, she rapped her knuckles lightly against the wood before she took a small step back. Instead of announcing herself, she hoped that Ava thought she was Charlie and would open the door.

After a minute, she knocked again and called in, "Ava?"

Silence.

All Bella wanted was to borrow her duffel bag. She was leaving for Florida tomorrow and she needed to finish packing; she didn't think her suitcase would be practical as she was only going to be gone for a weekend, and her backpack was too small to carry everything. She probably shouldn't have left this so last minute.

Placing a hand on the doorknob, she turned it slowly. "I'm coming in." She wasn't sure if Ava was home, she had just gotten back from the Cullens and peering into her bedroom, Bella felt perverse and intruding.

She stepped inside despite the sadness settling in her chest and went straight towards her closet. Finding the dark purple duffel easily, Bella straightened up and flung the bag over her shoulder.

Glancing around Ava's room, she swallowed thickly. She hadn't been here since she had gotten back from Italy; everything looked more or less the same.

Bella traced her fingertips across the smooth surface of her desk and caught sight of a new addition. Ava had photos wedged in the edge of the vanity mirror that she had placed atop her desk and she scanned each one carefully:

Ava, Jessica and Angela, holding up peace signs. Well, Ava and Angela were, and Jessica looked like she was about to sneeze. Bella smiled, if Jessica knew this physical copy existed she would climb through Ava's window to burn it.

Mike and Eric in mock fighting stances. Mike was frozen with his leg kicked up and nearly hitting Eric in the face.

As Bella moved her eyes further, she felt her lips fix in a wider smile as she looked at her group of friends. Suddenly, her eyes landed on a select few and she felt them tighten in a line.

Jared? Bella squinted closer...and Embry, were holding up glasses of water, it seemed; their pinkies were stuck out with overdramatic aristocratic expressions on.

Ava and...another girl that Bella didn't recognize, were laughing. Ava's hand was mid-air as if she was going to hit the table in front of her and the other girl was covering her mouth, eyes crinkling at the sides. In the background, Bella recognized Emily with her hand raised up as she realized the photo was being taken, and Sam had his eyes shut.

Paul was in the final picture that Bella was scrutinizing; he wasn't fully smiling, but the edges of his mouth were tilted up as if _after_ the photo was taken it spread across. He was resting his head on his hand lazily, and a single brow was raised.

Bella blew out a hard breath, causing one to dislodge and drift down. She grabbed the photo that fell on Ava's laptop and when she turned it around to place it back onto the mirror, she was taken by surprise.

It was a photo of her and Ava. Bella immediately recognized when it was taken; Ava had just moved here and in a flash of excitement, she ran outside when it started raining.

_I snorted and watched Ava hold her hands out widely, soaking it all in. "Didn't it ever rain?" I asked, a small amused smile spreading involuntarily across my face._

_Ava paused, almost as if remembering she wasn't alone, and laughed. "Of course, it did. But nothing beats Washington rain."_

"_Dad!" I called after a few seconds of watching Ava spin around and nearly slip on the slick grass. "Come out here!" I could hear my father's steps nearing and I turned my head to the side, ready to explain the current happenings of the front yard._

_In the second I did so, I felt a hard yank at my jacket sleeve and the soles of my sneakers skid across the worn wood of the front porch. I quickly shot my hand out and grabbed onto Ava, who had a wide grin on her face, and held out my other arm in a vain attempt at regaining my balance. She yanked at my sleeve once more and I stumbled down the steps, almost eating pavement._

"_What are-!"_

_Feeling the rain soak immediately through the front of my shirt, since I ever so intelligently left the front unzipped, the cold quickly settled in. I wasn't a fan of the rain in the least. In an attempt to escape, I tried taking a step towards the cover that the porch provided, but Ava's hand tightened around my sleeve._

_I felt her release me for a split-second before she switched hands and threw an arm around my shoulder. "Say cheese!'_

_The rain was teeming into my eyes and I blinked rapidly in both confusion and irritation. I cast my expression onto Ava beside me, and she was smiling forward widely. "What?" I asked, dumbfounded._

_And just as quickly as she grabbed me, she let go, her mischievous smile prominent. "Don't worry about it."_

Bella never knew that her dad had snapped a photo of the two girls. Ava was smiling at the camera while Bella was staring stupefied at the side of her face.

It was bittersweet, looking at the still of the once simple relationship that they effortlessly had. Bella didn't know if the photo falling was bad luck, but she resolved to stick it back into the mirror firmly to make up for it.

* * *

_The next day. Friday. 2:05 PM. Sea-Tac Airport._

Ava glanced at the flight display board and scanned for Bella's flight. It was scheduled for 3:00 PM, but it showed that it was ready for boarding.

That morning, Charlie had assumed she was going to go with him to drop off Edward and Bella at the airport, but she was actually planning on going to school. Figuring that tagging along would be better than sitting in a classroom, Ava changed her mind last minute and stayed home. The four of them left at 9:00 that morning to beat the traffic that they'd surely hit once they entered Seattle.

The drive was tension-filled, and Ava had begun to think that going to school would have been preferred. She had quickly claimed the passenger seat – there was no way she was going to chance sitting in the back with Bella on a nearly four-hour drive. Edward tried making conversation; it was obvious he was desperate to get on Charlie's good side after the stunt Bella pulled, but Charlie wasn't having it, only grunting in response.

"You should probably go on now," Charlie insisted, begrudgingly. They were all waiting at the edge of airport security; Ava and Charlie weren't allowed past, as they weren't boarding.

Bella nodded at her father and hugged him and as she did so, Ava gave Edward a small smile.

"I hope you have a good flight." Was her sole sentiment, and he inclined his head once towards her. "Thank you, Belinda."

It took a split second for uneasiness to overcome him, and he leaned in closer to her. "Please be very careful in our absence."

"Um." Ava furrowed her eyebrows, puzzled at his strange request and expression. "I will."

Once Bella pulled back from her father, she took a hesitant step towards her cousin. She held out her arms and Ava let herself lean in to envelop her in an awkward hug.

"Bye," Bella mumbled as she pulled back.

"Bye," Ava echoed. Bella tightened the hold on her bag and jumped up slightly to adjust her backpack.

"We'll be back soon," Edward promised, and Charlie gave him a scowl. "Yeah, you _will_."

As they disappeared through a crowd of people all waiting for the security check, Charlie and Ava made their way to sit in the waiting area until their flight took off. Ava sat herself down in the uncomfortable airport chair and stared out of the large, open window that displayed the planes landing and taking off.

A sudden random thought hitting her.

_Was that my duffel bag?_

* * *

Favorite and Follow! And if you have a second, leave a review and tell me what you think!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Leah**: I apologize for not doing a better job of pretending I was listening to you.

.+.

**The younger pack members, in the car with Sam:** McDonalds! McDonalds! McDonalds!  
**Sam:** No. There's dinner at Emily's.

**The younger pack members, in the car with Paul**: McDonalds! McDonalds! McDonalds!  
**Paul**: *pulls into the drive thru*  
**Backseat**: *cheers*  
**Paul**: One black coffee, please.

**The younger pack members, in the car with Jared:** McDonalds! McDonalds! McDonalds!  
**Jared:** McDonalds! McDonalds! McDonalds!

.+.

**Bella**: I just feel like you're being a little harsh.  
**Ava**: Thanks for informing me. I was going for extremely harsh, I'll turn it up a few notches.

.+.

**Leah**: When crows remember people who wronged them and hold grudges, it's 'intelligent' and 'really cool' but when I do it I'm 'petty' and 'need to move on'.

.+.

**Paul**: I'm not jealous.  
**Paul**: I just get this weird, burning feeling in my chest when I picture Ava being with any other guy, romantically, but me.  
**Sam**: ...Yeah, that's jealousy.


	28. Chapter 28

**Title**: The Best Of Times: Trailing for Hope  
**Chapter 28**: Heart Skipped A Beat, or The Case Of The Missing Sisters  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington, permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shape-shifter either. ...No Bella, or Edward-bashing. Follows storyline from "New Moon". _Despite my attempts to write a believable Paul/OC fic, there's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: I apologize for any grammatical errors, as I have a 3-hour drive.

r.r.

**Jane**: Thank you! Haha, yup! Charlie, Jacob, and Bella are around her most/care about her but they're are all a _little_ on the protective side. They mean well ;) ...well, for the most part lol

* * *

_The next day. Saturday. 8:07 AM. Second Beach Trailhead._

"Oh, my God." Ava gasped, clutching her side. "I'm going to die."

Jogging wasn't her thing. Moving past a brisk walk wasn't her thing. But she was still on a random trail on the reservation; Emily had jetted past them a while back and left her and Kim in the dust.

Kim couldn't even speak, only nodding her head swiftly.

"I'm pretty sure I coughed up a lung a mile back," Ava wheezed out, laughing at her own joke.

When Emily had invited Ava on a morning run, she _wanted_ to say no. She did. But Ava didn't think anyone was capable of saying that to the dark-haired woman; Emily was just too nice. Ava roped Kim into coming along, figuring if she passed out in the middle of it, she could carry her.

But by the looks of it, Ava would be the one carrying Kim.

Kim finally caught her breath enough to articulate a sentence.

"Okay…" *_gasp_*

"…I vote…" *_gasp_*

"...we cut to the end." *_deep breath_*

As she spoke, she pointed to a worn path to the side.

Eyeing it for a second, Ava pointed weakly. "That looks like the path you take if you want to get murdered."

Kim looked at it thoughtfully. "Hm." She hummed before turning back to look at Ava, breathlessly. "I think you're right."

"But, uh..." she continued. "Road less traveled, right?"

Needless to say after following the trail, they were lost. Ava thought Kim had known where she was going, but in retrospect, she should have asked after twenty minutes of mindless walking.

Kim looked around, squinting at the tall trees. "Um. Okay, I thought this was the right one."

"Thought?" Ava repeated. "You _thought_? Kimberly!"

"I'm sorry!" She exclaimed instantly, throwing up her hands in frustration. "I don't jog, okay?!"

"Now we're actually going to die," Ava moaned, spinning herself around slowly. Not exactly how she expected; she'd always wanted to go out in a huge bang, _not_ dying in a forest because she followed her friend who had the sense of direction of a carrot.

If they made it out alive, she resolved to never jog. Obviously, it only caused problems.

"We should have just stayed on the trail." Kim bit her lip, whipping her head around to search for something familiar. The trail that they had followed had disappeared, neither of them even noticing until it was too late.

Plopping down onto the ground, Ava ignored the dirt that was smudging onto her legs from the sweat that coated them. "Shoulda, woulda, coulda. But we didn't."

Kim ignored her comment and tried retracing her steps. _Okay, we went straight. Then a left. Then another left. Then a...right?_ Argh, she was actually going to die out here.

Ava on the other hand, had accepted the fact that only their bones would be found. Probably not for a while of course, some random kid would stumble over them in a few years and mistake them for animal bones. Then, they'd realize that they were actually-

"This way!" Kim pointed brightly, relief flooding her face.

"Hm." Ava narrowed her eyes. "See, _last_ time we did what you said, we ended up lost."

"Ava." Kim frowned, shaking her pointed hand. "It's this way, I swear."

She lifted herself off the ground and shrugged her shoulders. "Well, we can't get any more lost than we already are."

"We're not lost," Kim insisted, leading the way. "I'm telling you, I know where we are."

After nearly fifteen minutes of silence, Kim faltered. "Kim," Ava warned sweetly. "_Please_, tell me we're _not_ even more lost than we were before."

"...We're not." She said after an awkward pause.

"That's it." Ava plopped back down onto the ground. "I'm not moving. I'm staying here and letting moss grow over me as I decompose."

Kim wrinkled her nose slightly at her dramatic companion and sighed audibly. "...I'm sorry. I really thought it was this way. It _does_ look familiar, though, doesn't it?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Ava squinted against the forest. "I mean. It looks like trees. And...more trees."

Kim racked her brain to when she could have passed through here, but came up blank. Sitting down next to Ava, Kim looked up in defeat and it hit her.

"_Wait_, I think Emily's is around here!"

"What?" Ava deadpanned, looking around. All there was, was dense brush surrounding them. "How?"

"Look up," Kim insisted, and pointed up towards the outline of the branches that the trees made. "It looks like a giraffe."

Cocking her head to the side, Ava furrowed her eyebrows. Kim was officially losing it. At the most, it'd been forty-five minutes since they took the side path.

"I think you need some water," she offered her the bottle, and Kim waved it off.

"Jared took me here a few times! It's only, like, a ten-minute walk in…" She paced around and jumped up, gesturing animatedly. "This direction!"

"Are you telling me we walked all the way from the _trail,_ to Emily's house?"

"I guess." Kim shrugged, stepping back towards Ava and offering a hand. "It was only a five-minute drive."

Ava grasped Kim's hand and she heaved her up. "What's Emily thinking?" Kim wondered aloud.

"Probably that we...died. Or keeled over in the middle of the trail."

Neither girl had any signal, and as they trekked towards the supposed direction of Emily's house, Ava held her phone high in the air. As soon as she got a single bar, she dialed the woman and Emily picked up after a single ring.

"_Where are you?!"_

"Your house," she replied, catching Kim's attention. "_Apparently_, Kim saw a giraffe and we followed."

Ava thought the phone had cut out after a prolonged silence. "...Hello?"

"_What are you talking about?"_ Emily's voice finally spoke.

"We're going to your house," she enunciated slowly, holding the phone in front of her face.

"_How?"_

"We got lost," she admitted before whispering, "but really, it was Kim."

"_You're...are you sure? Are you _sure_ you're going to the house?"_

Humming in contemplation, she nodded. "Um, yep. According to-"

Suddenly, Kim grabbed her shoulder. "See!" Following in the direction she was looking, and sure enough, Emily's house was nestled nearby.

"Uh, yeah, Em. We somehow managed to get to your house."

Emily sputtered on the other end in disbelief before replying warningly, "_okay, um, I'm still at the trail. I'm heading back, just…just _don't_ move."_

With a promise to not go off anywhere, both girls trudged up the small hill that was beside the house. Making it to the top, Ava collapsed onto the ground once again. "I'm tired," she whined.

Kim looped her arms through hers and tried getting Ava to stand up. "Come _on_!"

"You'll have to carry me," she said somberly, hanging her head.

Ava's legs were cramping, and the bottom of her feet felt like a knife was sticking through them; she was very capable of just standing up and walking a few more feet, but she _really_ wasn't feeling it.

"Ava-!"

"Carry me."

"I can barely carry myself!" Kim complained, giving up and releasing her. After a moment's thought, she joined Ava on the ground before laying back with her arms splayed out widely.

Throwing her upper body back as well, Ava stared at the clouds passing through. She was positive that five minutes had passed, and she was beginning to wonder where the hell Emily was.

A face suddenly blocked her vision and she squinted against the glare of the sun to get a clearer look.

Paul had only just gotten to the house. Sam had scheduled him, Jared and Jacob to patrol later on that day, keen to keep away any danger. Jacob was forced along because of his past missed duties when he went off and disappeared, and Sam was intent on making sure he didn't pull anything like that again.

He had a strange expression on his face as he looked down at Ava and Kim; both had their hair in messy ponytails and their cheeks were stained a light pink. They were dressed as though they had been running, but he was doubtful.

"What are you doing?"

"Running," Ava replied, before glancing to the side and adding as an afterthought, "...well, Emily was running. We're cheating."

"Trying to cheat," Kim pointed out, lifting her body to rest on her elbows. She looked around for a second before Paul answered her unasked question. "Jared isn't here yet."

Kim's face warmed even more and with a shy smile, she fully straightened up off the ground. She didn't know Paul all that well, only knowing him as one of Jared's best friends and Ava's imprinter, but he seemed like a nice enough person, if not a little intense with pack matters. His attitude shift with Ava was obvious, not that Kim would admit that observation out loud, but her boyfriend wasn't as generous. The number of times that Paul and Jared had gotten into shoving matches because of it was pretty entertaining since neither took it serious enough to hurt the other.

"Weren't you going to Port A with your friends or something?" Paul asked down to Ava. She had shut her eyes, and at the question, she popped them open and groaned. "_Ugh_, I forgot about that. I'm going to be so sore."

"You could always _not_ go," Paul suggested, much preferring her staying on the reservation or in town instead of going off without him.

While the leech in the forest that tried to attack her cousin wasn't going to be a problem anymore, Paul wasn't sure about any other possible dangers. They had previously chased the redhead to the border and there hadn't been any sign of her since then, and it was beginning to make him paranoid.

He didn't want to force her to stay though, not like his opinion would do very much; Ava was constantly doing her own thing, consequences be damned, and it was only a matter of time before he spoke up on it. But that was his protective nature showing; he was apprehensive that demanding Ava to stay would just cause her to distance herself.

Rolling her eyes, Ava ambled up slowly. "I'm _going_. I need a dress. I'll be gone for, like, five hours, _tops_."

* * *

_4:47 PM. Highway 101._

Jessica stabbed the radio buttons and let out a frustrated groan. "_Ugh_. This stupid…"

Ava was staring out of the car window and raised an amused brow. "Not working?"

"No! Angela, you need a new car."

Angela smacked Jessica's hand away from the dash and pursed her lips. "I _don't_ need a new car."

Ava turned her head to scold Jessica when she realized how far off the seat she was. "Jess, put on your seatbelt."

She collapsed back and begrudgingly clipped the seatbelt on; the three were going to Port Angeles, since Jessica had been insisting for the past week that with the graduation approaching quickly they all needed to find a dress ASAP.

But on more important matters, she needed another dress option.

Glancing down at her phone, Ava lazily poked through it and swiped through the photos. The stupid pictures that she'd take with Bella were much farther up than she'd like, now the recent ones were a mix of goofy selfies that the guys would take without her knowledge.

As she was swiping, Jessica slid her arm over the strap of the seatbelt and leaned forward to peer over her shoulder. "Who are you talking to?"

Ava locked her phone quickly and gave her friend a trying look over her shoulder. "No one."

Jessica groaned, slamming herself roughly back down before leaning over to speak to Angela. "What are _you_ doing?"

"Driving," Angela answered back, keeping her eyes on the road.

"Well, can you drive a little faster? We're going to miss all the good dresses."

Angela rolled her eyes. "If you wanted to go faster, you or Ava should have driven." Out of the three of them, she was undoubtedly the safest driver. Jessica drove too fast, and she was half-positive that Ava had paid someone for her license.

Jessica pouted. "You wouldn't _let_ me drive."

"Last time you drove us somewhere we ended up in Seattle," Ava deadpanned, lowering the sun visor and staring at Jessica through the small mirror.

She scoffed loudly. "We did not. The farthest we got was, like_, _Port Ludlow." She took a second before adding, "and _you_ were telling me where to go. So, I think it was your _lack_ of direction, _not_ me driving."

Angela snorted and glanced at Ava. "She has a point."

* * *

_5:23 PM. Port Angeles_.

Sifting through the dresses, Ava grimaced at the selections. Jessica may have had a point, her and Angela waiting last minute to find dresses was probably a bad call.

Jessica was throwing dress after dress behind her, scaring the saleswoman and burying her under a pile of fabric. Angela was trailing behind, biting her lip nervously. She stepped closer to Ava when they brushed past, and whispered, "what if we don't find anything?"

"Well, you don't _have_ to buy a new dress," Ava pointed out. "You have a ton you haven't worn."

"But…" she trailed off, looking longingly at the racks. Angela never admitted it, but she loved buying clothes. She claimed it was because she hung around Jessica too much and the girl was rubbing off on her.

Jessica stomped over and shoved a dress in Ava's face. "Ava, you _have_ to try these on."

"I thought _you_ were looking for a dress," Ava said dryly, lowering the arm from her face.

Jessica huffed and flung the hanger to the saleswoman. "I am. But you two needed to get a dress _yesterday_."

Gesturing to the rack in front of her, Ava replied, "I still have a lot to go through." Being trapped in a dressing room with Jessica was the last thing she wanted _or_ needed. Plus, with Ava's aching muscles, having Jessica yank dresses onto her body and bunching them off didn't sound comfortable.

Jessica took an iron grip of Angela's arm and began dragging her towards the dressing room. "If Ava isn't trying them on, then _you_ are." Angela sputtering the entire way.

Ava smiled at their antics before resuming her search. Suddenly, she felt an uneasy tickle on the back of her neck and she turned around. There wasn't anything, or any_one_, worth suspecting from what she could see.

Darting her eyes for a few more seconds, she turned back to the clothing rack. After a minute, she found a black dress that she actually liked and yanked the hanger out.

Feeling the strange sensation again, Ava whirled around faster than she had before. All she was met with was a trio of gossiping girls, and a mother-daughter duo arguing over the color of a dress. She furrowed her eyebrows, _what the hell…_

She clutched her hands around the hanger tighter. _Something is wrong_. Her common sense wasn't the best, she'd be the first to admit it, but the fact that her gut was trying to tell her something was unsettling. And right now, it was telling Ava to get the hell out of there.

Suddenly, something grabbed her shoulder and she let out a gasp, jabbing the hanger in the direction.

"Ow!"

"Holy f-" Ava hissed out, glaring at Jessica and laying a hand over her chest. "Don't _do_ that!"

"I didn't do anything," she snarked, rubbing her arm. "You hit me with a hanger!"

Ava shook her head of any thoughts she had before. _It was just Jessica._

Jessica eyed her strangely before brightening up and pulling her towards the dressing rooms. "Come see Angela!"

* * *

_11:23 PM. Highway 101._

The three were heading back from Port Angeles – after a successful afternoon of dress shopping and a long dinner at Jessica's insistence – when something sped across the lone highway.

"What the hell was that?!" Angela screeched, slamming the brakes on her car. The car jolted to a sudden stop, skidding slightly on the gravel road; Ava could hear her heartbeat in her ears, and she darted her eyes around the surrounding area.

Jessica leaned over Ava's shoulder from the backseat and squinted towards the darkened road. "A deer?"

"Deer don't move that fast," Angela said matter-of-factly, despite the situation. "The most is 50 MPH."

"Angela," Jessica deadpanned, giving her a dry look. "I'm not even going to _ask_ how you know that."

Ava continued looking around, searching for the animal that just nearly got them into an accident. Not seeing anything, she felt a tremor run through her body; this wasn't sitting well with her, and it felt like she was going to be sick.

Turning back towards the girls, Ava held back the sway in her voice. "We should just go. Maybe it was a...rabbit or something."

"A rabbit?" Angela frowned, unbuckling her seatbelt. "No way. It looked like a person or something."

"If _deer_ can go 50 MPH, then there's no way that was a person," Jessica chimed in, falling back onto her seat.

Ava widened her eyes when Angela unlocked the doors. "I'm going to check."

"No." Ava shook her head quickly, grasping Angela's arm to keep her in place. "It was nothing, Angela. Let's just go already, it's late."

"This is exactly how _every_ single cheesy slasher movie starts," Jessica insisted.

Angela deepened her frown and adjusted her glasses, pursing her lips once more before locking the doors shut. "...Fine. I need to be home by midnight, anyway."

Pulling from the side of the road, Ava looked back outside the window. The shadows of the forest did nothing to ease her sudden fear and she unconsciously tugged at her necklace.

* * *

_11:36 PM. Outskirts of Forks_.

Paul's eyes narrowed as he sprinted through the forest.

They had just missed the leech, _again_, and the redhead was gone. Jared and Jacob were alongside, propelling themselves forward with intense speed to match Paul's desperate stride.

Normally, Jared would have immediately made a beeline to Kim's place but since Ava's house was a hot zone for vamps, he went along with Paul on the off chance that the leech had stupidly set up shop.

Jacob had a similar stance; he had stopped by the house earlier that day, but only Charlie was home. If Bella had come back early from wherever it was she left to, then he needed to make sure that both her and Ava were safe.

They were nearing the end of their patrol earlier when they caught the unmistakable, sickly-sweet scent encroaching in on the reservation.

Sam and Jacob, being the first that caught it, immediately followed it and ended up on the outskirts of Forks. They stayed out of sight, narrowing their eyes for nearly an hour before they saw it; the brightly colored bloodsucker that had escaped them before was flitting around the edge town at breakneck speeds.

Alerting their missing pack brothers knowing they'd need backup, the pack jumped into action and chased her for the next few hours; there were numerous close calls where they were a hair width away from slashing their teeth across her neck, but she was fast and almost seemed like she knew their next move before they did it.

As time passed, the pack's speed never faltered but in the final second, she disappeared. They tracked her even longer than they followed, but she was in the wind. When Jacob had phased out in the middle of it, wanting to check on the Swan's, Paul remained back, hell-bent on finding the redhead.

With a sense of defeat, they searched hopelessly before opting to resume the next day and advised to keep their senses on edge until then.

Paul's thoughts were filled with determination. Normally, his brothers would have teased him, but this was a delicate situation. Everyone knew that Ava's house was more than likely clear; if the redhead was nearby, they would've caught her, but the only thing on Paul's mind was if she had gotten home.

He halted to a stop, eyeing the surrounding area of her house. His hearing had become attuned to search out Ava's voice but when he didn't hear a semblance of it in or around the house, he whined lowly, his ears pinning to his head involuntarily. **She's not back yet.**

**She's probably on her way,** Jared reasoned, moving closer towards the edge of the forest. He was still hidden from sight, and he searched for anything that would indicate danger. **Don't worry about it, man. The house is clear.**

**We should have caught her, **Paul thought bitterly, baring his teeth.

The others must have phased back into their human forms because it was silent, save for Jared's sporadic thoughts on Kim and Jacob's on Bella.

**Head back, **Paul thought, motioning his head towards the reservation.

Jared glanced in the direction before rumbling lowly. **You might want to head home and grab some clothes. I don't think Ava'll appreciate catching you naked near her house.**

Paul snapped his teeth good-naturedly before Jared sprinted back through the brush. Jacob remained behind, circling impatiently for a few minutes. ...**Where the hell is she?**

**Your leech-lover isn't here**, Paul said dryly.

Jacob growled at the silver wolf before grounding out, **and Ava?**

**Don't worry about her. **Was Paul's sole, casual thought.

Jacob snarled, _**what**_** is your problem?**

_**I**_** don't have a problem**, Paul commented, sitting back on his hind legs. He knew he was goading Jacob, but it was so easy to rile up the younger wolf, and he needed to get his mind of Ava not being home yet.

Jacob sharply narrowed his eyes at the third-in-command. Out of everyone, why did _he_ have to imprint on one of _his_ best friends.

Paul merely smirked inwardly at Jacob's thoughts; this was a common occurrence since Bella had broken up with his pack brother, Jacob was now unabashedly vocal on his cynicism. He found it pretty entertaining when Jacob frowned at his constant thoughts about Ava. The best part was that Paul couldn't control it, so he didn't even have to _try_ to get him angry.

Jacob opted not to respond and focused on clearing his mind as best he could. Unfortunately, that meant Paul's thoughts were again occupied on the whereabouts of his imprint. Jacob hated this situation; he felt an instinctive kinship towards his pack and that meant his annoyance was heightened.

**Have you told her about the redhead**, Jacob asked finally.

Paul let out an audible grunt through his nose. **No**.

Jacob ruffled and straightened out, narrowing his eyes further. **Why the hell wouldn't you tell her?**

**We didn't know the leech was back until today**, Paul ground out, matching his tone. **And you think freaking her out would do any good?** **We'll catch her before Ava even knows anything is wrong**.

**Do you even know where she is**, Jacob challenged. **Charlie said she left town! For all we know the bloodsucker already sunk her teeth into her!**

Paul advanced, snapping his teeth sharply at the wolf. Who did Jacob think he was, it wasn't like he knew the redhead was so close. If he had, there's no way in _hell_ Ava would have left his sight; the fact that she wasn't back yet was already causing frantic thoughts to occupy his mind and he didn't need Jacob to remind him about it.

Jacob stanced himself for a fight. Right now, he was regretting telling Ava so long ago about Bella keeping secrets from her. At the time, he was angry at Bella and he wanted to lash out in any way he could. Due to Jacob's wolfish short fuse, Bella told Ava about the vampires and Ava's unwilling adventure into the supernatural world started.

There were several reasons why Paul's imprinting bothered him, but the biggest was that Jacob was trying to cling to the strand of normalcy that Ava gave him. She was one of his only links to his old, _simple_ life and when she was thrust permanently into everything against her own volition, it angered him. And Paul's stupid, smug attitude about the situation had always pissed him off.

**She back yet?** Jared's thoughts cut through the tension. He wanted to try and prevent as many possible in-pack problems.

**No. Not yet.** Both wolves answered simultaneously, staring each other down.

**Have your pants?** Jared joked. When he said that, both shifters stiffened and realized that they had forgotten his advice from earlier. They eyed each other and waited for the other to make the first move.

Paul was willing to hold out, but Jacob let out a hard breath. **I'm heading to mine. **Paul didn't respond and as Jacob followed Jared's old path, his voice called again,** I'll be back.**

After he left, Paul bounced on his front legs, debating whether or not to risk going home; all he wanted was to make sure she was back and then head to his own house without alerting her that he was there.

**I say, go**_,_ Jared chimed in helpfully.

**Shut up, Jared, **Paul snapped, thrust out of his private thoughts.

With that said – or rather, thought – he quickly ran towards the direction of his house to beat Jacob back; he needed to get back, phase, grab some clothes, phase, not _rip_ the clothes as he made his way back, and finally wait for Ava to get home.

All without waking his dad. **Fuck**.

* * *

_11:57 PM. Swan House._

Ava arrived to a silent house and quickly put away the dress in her room that she had bought. While she was purchasing, Jessica nearly tore the dress away from her.

"_Black?" She pouted. "Can't you wear something more colorful?"_

Assuming Charlie was asleep, Ava yawned and made her way into the kitchen to grab something quick to eat. She was about to head up to prepare to go to bed when something caught her eye through the small window beside the front door. Then she heard a light tapping.

Stepping carefully, Ava peered through the thin curtains and immediately recognized the face that stared back at her. Opening the door, she slinked out to address the guest.

"What are you doing?"

Paul stood in front of her, his eyes narrowing over her shoulder into the small foyer. Nothing looked off, and the scent wasn't present. After watching her exit the car and wave good-bye, he felt the need to make _extra_ sure she was fine, despite the late hour.

Jacob had waited until Ava entered her house before ultimately deciding to go back home, despite barely arriving back with his clothes.

Finally looking at Ava, he remained silent. Raising her eyebrows, she gave him a strange look. "...Well?"

"Hey."

"..._Hi_," Ava said slowly. "It's late, what's up?"

He looked at ends with himself before he breathed out. "...Nothing. Just...making sure you got back."

"Were you patrolling or something?" She wondered, glancing behind him to see if his brothers were with him. Not seeing anyone, her eyes met his again.

"We were earlier," he answered. "We caught-" Paul cut himself off quickly. "...We finished. I wanted to check on you."

Ava eyed him for a second. "I _just_ got home. What, were you staked outside my house?" She certainly didn't put it past him, and he was acting really shifty with his eyes darting around rapidly.

"You look like you just murdered someone," Ava said bluntly after a moment of silence. Lifting her shoulders, she continued, "...I'm fine, though. Just tired."

Taking that as his cue to leave, he twitched his nose and nodded. "Yeah, just...get some sleep."

He cast a final look into the house, eyes narrowing slightly before turning on his heel. Ava watched him strangely as he disappeared down the road, his behavior unnerving.

It wasn't him showing up, it was him showing up _now_. It was nearing midnight. Shaking off the feeling, she turned back into the house and glanced around uneasily.

_Why was he acting so weird?_

* * *

Favorite and Follow! And if you have a second, leave a review and tell me what you think!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Jessica**: We both look very beautiful.  
**Angela**: You know if you had said, 'you look beautiful', I would have complimented you back.  
**Jessica**: I couldn't take that risk.

.+.

**Ava:** I wonder what it feels like to know what the fuck is going on.

.+.

**Paul**: Well, the ten-year plan for making Ava fall in love with me may have to stretch to fifteen, but the plan is definitely still in motion.

.+.

**Bella**: Do you think I'm smart?  
**Ava**: Oh, is that what we're doing today? Fighting?

.+.

**Paul**: What are we?  
**Ava**: Don't ask me 'what are we' after we've been hanging out every day for the past two months, going out, and three almost-kisses. WE'RE FRIENDS.


	29. Chapter 29

**Title**: The Best Of Times: Trailing for Hope  
**Chapter 29**: Carrot-Top Is Back In Town, or Does The Apple Fall Far From The Tree  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington, permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shape-shifter either. ...No Bella, or Edward-bashing. Follows storyline from "New Moon". _Despite my attempts to write a believable Paul/OC fic, there's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: I apologize for any grammatical errors, as I needed to speed-read. OMG, this chapter came out so much later than I anticipated; I am so sorry, I honestly haven't had any flipping time to freaking edit! With work and school, life is kicking my butt and I'm always super exhausted by the end of the day that I just sleep haha BUT, for the sake of promises, I'll update whenever I can! So, chapters can come _twice_ a week, _once_ a week, or in a _few_ weeks; I just don't want to say a day and not stick to it!

r.r.

**KG**: If I were in Ava's shoes, I would've snapped already, I'm _TELLING_ you. And yeah, pretty much lol Sam, Jared, and Paul are whipped as _fuuuuck_. And Jacob too, if you want to get technical.

**brankel1**: Thank you! Hope you enjoy the chapter!

**Jane**: Nah, just some spooks for now ;) and the nitty-gritty happens at the end of chapter 31! That's when the good stuff hits haha for now, some fluffer chapters.

**The-handprint-onthe-window**: Ava is always confused tbh, someone help/hold her.

**Midori Yuki**: Ahh~ really?! Thank you so much :) I super hope you enjoy the chapter!

**LetsBeFrenemies**: You're too kind! The incorrect chapter are 100% my favorite parts, too.

* * *

_The next day. Sunday. 10:23 AM. Swan House._

"How was the, uh, shopping?" Charlie asked, his eyes skimming over the newspaper and only half-listening.

It looked like there was another missing person and Charlie hoped that this didn't become the new regular. Riley Biers was the only one that had gone missing from the sleepy town of Forks over a year ago, and as much as his station was helping Seattle's PD due to the possibility that the cases were related, they hadn't found a trace of the young man or any of the others.

"Good," Ava responded, nodding. "Found a dress for graduation."

Charlie only grunted in response. There was a brief pause before he lifted his head thoughtfully. "...Oh, Jacob came by yesterday."

Ava's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?" Jacob hadn't come by the house in a while, and she was beginning to think that he'd forgotten where her house even was.

He recalled the day before and nodded. "Yeah, asked about you and Bella. Said she was visiting her mother and you were off with your friends," Charlie informed, already looking back at his paper.

Charlie _did_ find it strange that Jacob hadn't been around lately; in the past, he'd pop in randomly looking for Ava or Bella at any hour of the day, but after some time – Charlie had calculated it was after he had gotten mono – he had changed. When he came by the day before, Jacob had looked on edge and his attitude worried Charlie; he'd known the kid for years and seeing him so different didn't sit well.

He had a soft spot for Jacob; he was always a good kid, hardworking and all, with helping out his father. He always held onto the sliver of hope that Bella would give him a chance and when _that_ expectation fell short, he hoped his niece would.

But it was looking like that wasn't going to happen either, he noted begrudgingly.

* * *

_8:12 PM. Emily Young and Sam Uley's House._

Ava tapped her nails against the counter loudly, Emily chuckling at her obvious boredom. "They'll be back soon."

"When," Ava whined, lowering her cheek onto the cool counter. "They weren't here when I got here and now it's been, like, _three hours_."

Emily rolled her eyes playfully. "How about instead of _complaining_," she said pointedly. "You help me tidy up. They left a mess before they left and, so far, all we've done is make a bigger one." She gestured to the kitchen that was littered with what they used to make dinner, and the living room that was left in slight disarray

"Where'd they go?" Ava asked suddenly, rolling her head so her chin was balanced on the counter.

Emily lifted her shoulders. "I don't know. Sam said something about patrolling."

She furrowed her eyebrows. "It's like eight. They're usually done by now."

Emily gave her a smug look and Ava rolled her eyes, already knowing what was on her mind. "I just noticed. An _observation_."

"Mhm," she hummed, innocently. "Whatever you say."

Getting up, Ava started folding a few stray blankets and placing the strewn pillows back onto the couch. "Do you think something is wrong?"

Ava was uneasy about the day before; something was off about the situation and she felt like someone was tracking her movements the entire time. Then with something running in front of the car when they were driving back home, and Paul popping in just to say _hello _at midnight_,_ it was all a little too coincidental in her book.

"I don't know," Emily sighed out. "I hope not. We've had enough trouble this year to last a while."

Ava remained quiet, agreeing with her wholeheartedly. In fact, in the past _months, _she'd had enough things happen to last a lifetime...and then some.

"How're you and Paul?" Emily asked with a swift glance. She didn't want to push any sort of agenda on them; she was genuinely curious about the pair, as they seemed to be progressing in their relationship. ...Friendship. ...The line became blurred, at least to Emily.

"Good," Ava said automatically, grateful for the change in subject. "Same."

"_Same_." The dark-haired woman echoed from the kitchen. "It's been that way for a while, hasn't it?"

Ava shrugged, squishing a pillow in her hands before plopping it onto the couch. "I guess. We're good with it, though."

"_Okay_," Emily replied, eyeing her. "..._But_, I'm here if you want to talk, you know."

Emily was always vocal about her affection for the young girl. Despite their age difference, Ava was a good friend; from the moment Emily met her, she knew they'd get along. She wasn't anticipating one of her fiancée's pack brothers to _imprint_ on her, but she was glad that meant Ava was around more.

When Ava had told her that she was beginning to hang around the Clearwaters, and by extension Leah, Emily _did_ feel a smidgen of envy. She wasn't one to lash out and she didn't _want_ to, because all that would cause was space for negative emotions to slip into. But thankfully with Ava hanging around Leah, that meant Emily had been able to keep a reliable tab on her cousin. She did hope that the friendship that they were surely forming meant Leah would be around more.

"I know." Ava waved her hand as she made her way back towards the counter, sitting down on one of the bar chairs. "I'm surprised you haven't gotten sick of me yet." In the past weeks that Bella had come back, Ava was completely grateful for Emily's presence. She had gone to her multiple times conflicted about everything, from the back and forth with Paul, to her strained relationship with Bella.

"I think we're _well_ past that." Emily snorted lightly.

"...stupid, _fucking_ leech." Paul's sudden angry voice drifted into the kitchen. He stormed in, followed closely by Jared and Sam and he instantly rounded on Ava, brandishing an arm towards the front door. "Did you see that?! What _bullshit_."

"Paul," Sam warned, already standing by Emily.

Paul whirled around. "Did _you_ see that? That-that _leech_," he spat out. "Almost crossed onto our lands."

Jared scratched his head. "They were chasing the vamp, too. Maybe they didn't notice?"

"_Didn't notice_?" Paul mocked. "If you believe that, you're just as stupid."

Everyone in the room seemingly exhaled in exasperation at Paul's melodrama, and Sam spoke up again, "we'll have to figure something out. With the vampire crossing borders, it's going to make things much harder."

"...What vampire?" Ava asked, the attention shifting towards her.

Paul dropped himself onto the chair next to hers and readied himself for her inevitable reaction. "The...redheaded bloodsucker."

Wide-eyed, Ava turned towards Sam. "...Victoria?" She blurted out.

She hadn't heard anything about her since Bella had left for Italy; Ava wanted to believe she had lost interest, but it seems that was too much to hope for. "You're tracking her again?"

"We never really stopped. We caught her scent yesterday, actually." Jared shrugged, blissfully ignorant of Ava's suddenly stiffened form.

Paul _did_ notice, however, and he scooted lower in his chair, ducking his head.

Ava turned towards him, narrowing her eyes; he hadn't said anything the night before, but now him showing up so late made sense. "Why didn't you-?"

"I thought we'd catch her by now." He deepened his frown. When they caught the scent again tonight, they were confident that they'd get her. Only _this time_, they realized the redhead was a fan of games. "We caught the scent in town yesterday before it jumped onto the reservation."

The leeches stationed in Forks couldn't try and catch the redhead the day before since the reservation covered a vast area, and with their uninvited guest staying on their lands, they weren't allowed to cross.

Tonight though, the redhead had gotten braver, toying with both the wolves and the vampires as she crossed the borders to her heart's content.

Ava's mind was filled with this new information, and she didn't even have the energy to tease Paul about him _actually_ staking her house out the night before and waiting until she got home.

"She kept switching up tonight," Jared added. "We almost got her."

"But we didn't," Paul snapped, lifting his head and glaring at Jared.

"So, you're all, like..._actively_ tracking her?" Ava asked, interrupting him to get the story straight. "She's close?"

Jared moved his mouth to the side before he answered, "kinda..."

"We lost her _again_." Paul continued grumbling bitterly.

Ava's mind flashed to Port Angeles and she tightened her mouth into a tight line. _Should I say something? _.._.But, maybe_ _it was just Jessica, _she thought uneasily, beginning to doubt herself.

Noticing Paul's sharp wince after he shifted slightly, Ava shoved the thoughts aside. Frowning, she grabbed his arm. "What happened?"

He allowed her to move his arm up before glancing down and scowling. "Crashed into a-that _idiot_ slammed into me. It's nothing."

"Victoria?"

"No." He shifted again, Ava's hold falling from his arm and he bit out, "the other bloodsucker. One of the _Cullens_."

She leaned back in surprise. "They were there?"

Sam nodded once. "Seems like we both had the same agenda."

_Is that why Bella went to Florida?_ Remembering the airline ticket that the Cullens had given her.

Despite Bella leaving for the weekend, Ava didn't think she knew about Victoria...if she had, she would have insisted that Ava take the trip with her in _spite_ of their current rocky relationship.

"Was Jacob..." Ava trailed off and Paul blew out a breath in irritation. "_Yes_. It was everyone, save for the runts."

"So, she's back then?" Ava repeated, unsteadily.

"Yeah," Paul mumbled, glancing at her quickly through the corner of his eye. "But don't worry about it. We'll catch her."

* * *

_The next day. Monday. 7:49 AM. Forks High School parking lot._

Getting back the night before, Bella wasn't home yet. Ava wanted to tell her about Victoria and that she was back. A stupid fight wasn't going to stop her from relaying possible life or death information regarding a vampire who had it out for Bella.

Ava waited up for a few hours, even Charlie was working later, and after trying Bella's cell a few times, she figured waiting till morning wouldn't make much of a difference.

Unfortunately, the next morning Bella still wasn't home. Ava assumed that she had arrived late at night and had an early start heading to school, somehow managing to not wake her. But upon arriving and looking around, she didn't spot Edward's car in the parking lot.

Giving up, she walked towards the entrance absently, stopping when someone grabbed her elbow.

"Jake!" Ava said, surprised. He hadn't made an appearance at the school in a long while.

"Hey," he greeted, looking in the direction Ava had come in. "...She isn't with you?"

Making the quick connection, she shook her head. "We don't really drive together anymore, you know, since…"

_Edward was back._

He nodded steadily, and Ava shoved his shoulder playfully, trying to alleviate some of the tension. "Where have you been? Haven't been very _forthcoming_, now have you?" She teased lightly.

Shooting her a small smirk, he shrugged. "Stuff. Here and there. And I _do_ see you."

"Barely." Ava rolled her eyes.

Last time she saw Jacob was nearly four days ago for about two seconds before he was off; after his shirked duties, Sam had continued forcing him to make up for the lost time – and then some.

Ava wanted to spend more time with him, especially after the heart-to-heart the pair had, but there just never seemed to be enough time in the day.

She spotted the familiar bike behind him and snorted. "You're still riding that thing?"

"Hey," he said playfully. "Don't talk shit on the bike."

There was a slight pause before Ava spoke again, "I was at Emily's yesterday." She watched his reaction as she spoke. "Sam, Paul and Jared were there."

"Yeah. They mention the...?" He trailed off, not knowing if Paul had finally told her about the redhead.

The pack had sensed the leech again the night before and they sprang into action. If Paul still hadn't told Ava, Jacob resolved to say something now. It wasn't fair that she was being kept in the dark with all the danger that was surrounding them.

Ava nodded, already suspecting the question. "Yeah, they told me."

"Then you know that you can't take your little field trips out of town?" He suggested innocently and Ava rolled her eyes. Paul had already given her the spiel the night before.

"_Yes_," she enunciated slowly. "If I had known she was so close, I wouldn't have gone...got a dress, though," Ava added, shaking her shoulders happily.

Jacob raised his brows in mock interest. "_Really_?"

"I can smell your disinterest." She laughed, Jacob's company elevating her spirits. "I'll shut up about it."

As an afterthought, Ava glanced to the side uneasily. The possibility of Victoria being nearby was making her paranoid.

Despite not wanting to think about the vampire, Ava voiced blankly, "...I don't-I mean, she was gone all these weeks, and _now_? ...Do you know if Bella knows? If Edward told her?"

Jake lifted his shoulders half-heartedly. "I haven't spoken to her. But she won't get close, I promise," he assured. Adding smugly, a smirk crossed his face. "How's Paul?"

Paul slamming into one of the Cullens was the only silver-lining the night before; Jacob was blunt about his bitterness toward Paul's relationship with Ava, but there wasn't anything that he could do about it. Instead, he went on and tried ignoring his constant thoughts about her when they were phased into their wolf forms, and imagining a brick wall between the two at all times.

Ava crossed her arms, immediately annoyed at the mention of the hot-head. "He said it was nothing. Said that Emmett ran into him but they didn't get into it..._surprisingly_," she added, rolling her eyes. "And he'd heal in '_no time_'," she air-quoted, eliciting a small laugh from Jacob.

"Us wolves, you know. Stubborn as hell."

"You can say that again."

"Cullen shouldn't have tried crossing," Jacob said, the smile dropping from his face, now serious. "The treaty is in place for a reason."

He opened his mouth to continue before snapping it shut and turning his head to the side lazily, blowing out an annoyed breath. "Speak of the devil."

Turning to where he was staring, Ava saw that Bella and Edward were walking towards them. Jacob took a few steps in their direction and she hesitated before following in case things got out of hand.

Bella had her hands shoved in her jacket pockets nervously and she shot Ava a small glance when they neared.

"Hey," Bella said, addressing Jacob. They hadn't seen each other since their meeting in the forest, weeks ago, and _that_ hadn't gone very well. The thought of asking Ava to speak to him on her behalf during that time had crossed her mind but she was too afraid of asking anything of her, especially now.

There was a pause before he spoke, "Charlie said you left town?"

"Yeah," she replied. "To visit my mom. Why?"

Edward chuckled coldly, interrupting, "he's checking to see if you're still human."

"Look, I'm here to warn you." Jacob took a shaky breath, controlling his irritation at Edward. "If your kind come on our land again..."

"Wait, what?" Bella cut off and Jacob looked at Edward disbelieving. "You didn't tell her yet?"

Edward shook his head slightly. "Just leave it alone, Jacob."

Bella turned towards him questionably. "Tell me what?'

Edward stared at Ava for a few seconds, before turning to Bella. "Emmett and Paul...had a misunderstanding. It's nothing to worry about."

She jerked her head to Ava quickly, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What…?"

Assuming now was a good a time as any, she opened her mouth to explain. "It was about-"

Jacob scoffed loudly, cutting Ava off and glaring at Edward. "Listen to yourself. Did you lie to get her out of town, too?" Edward advanced, getting in his face. "You should just leave. Now."

Jake gave him an unsympathetic look. "She has a right to know. She _is_ the one the redhead wants."

Bella's mouth opened in shock. "Victoria?" And after a few seconds, she looked accusingly at Edward. "Alice's vision."

Now Ava's suspicions were definitely correct. She remembered Alice's vision during lunch, but she had forgotten about it soon after. I mean, if it was gravely important she would've said something, right?

Apparently _not_, because she refrained from telling Ava _or_ Bella that the vampire was back. …So Edward had sent Bella away to Florida while his family tried catching Victoria, and running into the wolves..._literally_...doing the same.

"I was trying to protect you," Edward insisted and Bella frowned. "...By _lying_ to me," she finished.

Bella shook her head slightly, realizing this wasn't the time or place. "Okay, we're gonna talk about this, but...you." She turned towards Jacob. "Why haven't you called me back?"

Jacob looked back coolly. "I had nothing to say." He took a step to the side, preparing to leave before nodding once at Ava. "See you later, Ave. Heading to Emily's."

Ava waved with a demand to tell everyone hello, and she gave Bella a wide-eyed look, trying to silently convey her to go after him. She wanted all the drama gone and behind them and Bella needed to talk to him _now_. None of this was fair, and Ava hated holding grudges; the fact that she'd held out this long was honestly surprising.

Bella nodded, licking her lips quickly and stepped forward to follow him. "Well, I have tons. Hold on."

Edward grabbed her elbow lightly. "Hey, Bella…"

Bella whirled around. "Edward, you have to trust me."

"I do trust you," he insisted, giving Jacob a sidelong glance. "It's him, I don't trust."

Bella hesitated for a second before taking a step back towards Jake and his motorcycle; she shot her cousin a last look and climbed behind him.

Jacob looked smug at this and grinned, Ava noted with a bittersweet smile. She hoped that talking with Bella today would fix things between them...and hopefully, repair the relationship between _her_ and Bella. They rode off quickly, leaving Ava and Edward standing in front of the school.

Ava never had a problem with any of the Cullens since the beginning. Yeah, they were overly polite and distant, but she wasn't exactly planning on making friends with them in the first place.

It probably wasn't the best time to bring the next topic up, but she had to know. Despite the school day beginning, the parking lot was nearly empty with only a few stragglers hanging around near the front doors of the school.

"...Was it her idea?" Ava asked finally, still staring in the direction that Jacob and Bella sped off in.

She wasn't sure if Edward knew what she was talking about but after a minute of silence, he answered, "it is."

The talk of Bella's mortality was something that he always knew would come up with Ava; he was, however, surprised that it had taken this long. He knew that they were close, they _grew_ _up_ together, and obviously she wouldn't understand Bella's drive for immortality. In her mind, Edward could only assume that it felt like Bella was abandoning her.

It was times like this when he wished he could read her and Charlie's minds fully; he wasn't sure if it was hereditary, but something constantly caused their minds to fog. He couldn't get a clear read but he _could_ grasp the resonant feeling behind the thoughts. Being restricted to only sensing the emotion behind thoughts was exhausting.

Nodding her head slowly, Ava turned to face him fully. "...Did you even..._try_ to convince her?"

Edward frowned, immediately offended at her insinuation. "Of course I did. Believe me, if I had any say she would stay…" He lowered his voice to a near whisper. "_Human_."

"Tell her no," Ava insisted, quietly. "She can't turn if your family won't do it."

Ava knew this was a long shot; the last time she had spoken to Bella about turning was when she had gotten back from Italy. The family _voting_ was still upsetting, and Ava continued, "I mean, why would any of you vote on something like that? This isn't choosing a stupid movie or restaurant, this is the rest of eternity."

He let out a sigh and gave her a helpless look. "...Is that what's best? She wants this. I can't change her mind. _You_ can't change her mind...there's no point in dragging out an argument."

As much as Ava _did_ want to drag out an argument, she knew that Edward was right. Although Ava and Bella weren't the most similar in terms of personality, the one thing they _did_ have in common was their stubborn nature. She still felt a sense of rejection with the thought that Bella's human life wasn't good enough for her to remain as she was; she had a loving family, good friends, and yet she needed more. She needed Edward.

"I guess," Ava mumbled to herself, knowing he could still hear her. She spoke up again, louder, after a brief moment, "just talk to her again, _please_."

He remained silent and she jerked her head towards the entrance. "We should get-"

"I'll be missing today," Edward abruptly said, turning on his heel and walking back in the direction of his car.

* * *

_6:45 PM. Swan House._

The minute Ava got home that day, she resolved to finish a stupid English essay that she had due the next day. Unfortunately, that hadn't happened yet. Ava frowned down at her laptop, _urging_ herself fingers to begin. She had headphones in when a muffled knocking interrupted her. Yanking them out, she listened.

"What?" She called out after a second and Charlie's voice drifted through the shut door.

"I said, dinner time."

Pushing herself from the desk, she made her way downstairs and leaned against the doorway of the kitchen. "I'm here," she announced loudly.

"So it seems," Charlie mumbled, poking at the asparagus and frowning. "Does this look done?"

He whirled around and brandished the pan in front of her. Normally, Ava did the cooking when he was at work, but Charlie made sure that if he got back early to take the duty off her hands. He wasn't the _best_, but he tried.

Ava pushed herself off the frame and peeked at the slightly overcooked veggies. "Looks edible."

He grunted in response before sliding them on a plate and placing it onto the table.

"You know, if you need help in the kitchen, you should just ask," she joked lightly, sitting down after him.

Charlie gave her a dry look. "Very funny. Shouldn't you be with your friends instead of criticizing my cooking."

"Can't I do both?" Ava giggled softly, reaching over and serving him quickly before doing the same with her own plate. A few minutes of comfortable silence passed before she looked up, noticing the absent face. "Um...Bella's not home yet?"

"No," Charlie grumbled, stabbing at his greens. "Should've been home by now, in all honesty."

"She's probably still with Jake."

Charlie snapped his head up at the name. "Jacob? She's with-thought she was with Cullen. She's with Jacob." He nodded approvingly. "Good, good."

"Edward is good?" Ava defended weakly, trying to avoid mentioning that Bella had skipped school that day.

Charlie grunted again, shaking his head. "Spends all her time with him now...haven't seen you two do anything."

"Just busy," she insisted. "You know, school and…"

He gave her a suspicious look. "Hasn't stopped either of you before."

She stayed quiet and he sighed after a lingering pause. "You know, I don't want to have the, ah, same conversation I had with Bella, with you. You and this, _Pablo-_"

"Paul."

"...kid aren't, you know, dating or anything?"

Ava scoffed quietly down at her plate. "_No_, we aren't. And I think we've had this conversation already a few times."

"_It's probably more than that. He's a shape-shifter and he imprinted on me. Imprinting, you ask? Basically, means that the moment he saw me, he fell in love and now I'm the only person he ever wants to be with for the rest of his life._

_Oh, and Bella's boyfriend is a vampire, and she wants to be turned into one as well to spend forever with him._

_But, no. Totally not dating. But that could change, I mean-"_

"Ava."

She was jolted out of her head. "You-what?"

"Have you spoken to your mother?"

Blinking confusedly at the question, she shook her head. "Um. No...why?"

The last time she had spoken to her was nearly two weeks ago; it lasted a record time of two minutes before her mother claimed she didn't have much time to talk and she'd call again another time.

"Said she wanted to take a trip down to see you," he said carefully. ''She really hasn't called?"

"Nope." Ava shrugged, moving her fork around her plate. She doubted the woman would be making a trip down. She was convinced that her suggestion was just for show.

"You should give her – and your father – a call," Charlie proposed carefully. "They could come up for your graduation."

His older sister was a steely woman. He wasn't surprised that she hadn't spoken to her daughter. Selene had informed him of her plans the day before, promising to let Ava know about the news. Considering that his niece hadn't mentioned anything, he knew Selene had forgotten with her workload.

Right after Selene graduated high school, she moved across the U.S.-Canada border to Vancouver and attended UBC. By the time Charlie graduated high school himself, Selene had graduated from university with a bachelor's degree in Medicine. Unfortunately, despite his desire to go to college, he was unable to as their parents' health began deteriorating rapidly; their mother was in the early stages of Alzheimer's and their father's mobility was being curtailed by severe arthritis.

During this time, Selene was readily accepted into medical school and began working numerous odd jobs on top of her schooling to be able to send money to help give their parents the care required.

The four years of medical school, coupled with the three years of residency at a revered hospital, landed Selene a cushy job as a General Practitioner. She married, and the newlywed pair originally resolved to not have children, as they were both much too busy. And during that long period, it was up to Charlie to sustain the household in Forks on his own; he managed to get a job within the Forks Police Department. That first summer he met Renee and was married soon after.

It wasn't until Bella was born that Selene took the time to take another visit. She and her husband stayed for a week; they visited her parent's, enjoyed the constant drizzling rain, and tried to spend time with Charlie and his newfound, small family.

After that visit, Selene went on for the next three years without coming, eventually showing up with a new addition to her family. Ava. Despite having seen photos of the girl, he was surprised to see her in person; never did he picture his calculating older sister being a mother.

As time passed, Charlie noticed Selene and her husband, Marcus, slowly become more and more overwhelmed with work and schedules. When they suggested Ava take a trip up to Forks for a week out of the summer when they opted not to come, he gladly accepted, his niece and daughter having become incredibly close.

He knew it was only a matter of time after their divorce that they would move. Ava unfortunately being caught in the cross-fire.

Ava shifted in her seat and shrugged again, answering her uncle's suggestion. "Yeah, probably."

"You know what time Bella'll be home?" He changed the subject; the topic of Ava's parents was a light one to tread, but he had to ask.

"Oh, uh, no. I don't," Ava replied, gathering her barely-touched plate from the table quickly. "I'm going to head up, I still have some work and stuff."

Charlie watched her silently as she put her plate in the sink and called out to her once she got to the stairs. "I'll be going over some cases down here if you need anything."

"_Oka-ay_." She dragged out the word as she ran up the stairs.

Once in her room, Ava collapsed on the bed; the thought of her parents coming up to Washington didn't bother her. She hadn't seen them in nearly a year, it was just that Ava knew how it was probably going to go.

They'll make some _huge_ ordeal about it, then something will come up with work. Her mother will either get an influx of patients and cases, or she'll insist that she has to finish up the files on her desk. And her father will probably get some new client. Then, they'll apologize. It was the same tune that had been played time and time again.

Exhaling a small breath, Ava shut her eyes.

She was _so_ tired.

* * *

Favorite and Follow! And if you have a second, leave a review and tell me what you think!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Jacob:** You know how I'm kind of a sexy bad boy who rides motorcycles and is always breaking the rules in the name of justice?  
**Ava:** I don't like where this is going…

.+.

**Ava**: What's up, bitch?  
**Bella**: Did you just call me a bitch?  
**Ava**: Yes.  
**Bella**: You bitch.

.+.

**Emily, watching Sam sleep**: He's my life, my love, my everything. He looks so peaceful when he's sleeping. I love him so mu-  
**Sam**: [snores]  
**Emily**: I can't live like this.

.+.

**Selene**: I have done the best I could to raise you.  
**Selene**: Have I been perfect? No.  
**Selene**: Do I know anything about children? No.  
**Selene**: Should I have picked up a book on parenting? Probably!  
**Selene**:  
**Selene**: Where was I going? I had a point.


	30. Chapter 30

**Title**: The Best Of Times: Trailing for Hope  
**Chapter 30**: In Between The Lines, or Ava's Unrelenting Company  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington, permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shape-shifter either. ...No Bella, or Edward-bashing. Follows storyline from "New Moon". _Despite my attempts to write a believable Paul/OC fic, there's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: I apologize for any grammatical errors, as I really needed to release this chapter! This is a filler chapter. Things don't really pick up, pick up, until Chapter 31, I want to say. I'm sorry guys! I'm trying to release chapters as often as I can, but with work and school, I come home and I'm completely exhausted. I'm trying; I have all of the Eclipse arc finished, I promise, I just need to edit and post.

P.S. If I missed something grammatical or something doesn't make sense, please PM me and let me know!

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! :)

* * *

_The next day. Tuesday. 6:23 PM. Swan House._

Ava overheard Bella as she told Charlie she was going to the reservation. Since her and Jacob were on speaking terms, Ava had correctly assumed that meant Bella would be spending more time with Jacob.

Paul shoveled another forkful of food into his mouth and glared venomously at the doorway. The thought that the leech-lover was on the reservation was maddening; he thought the treaty should extend to her, but Sam disagreed. He insisted that Bella was still a resident of the town and despite her unfortunate choice of company, their protection still included her.

Since the leech-lover had come back, he could only assume bitterly that her bloodsucker had been a secret addition to the house. Paul hated it. The thought that there was one so close to Ava caused his fundamental instincts to take over and he wanted to rip the leech's head off. But right now, the pack was devoting their time solely on hunting down the immediate threat.

The _redhead_. Ever since she had escaped them, Sam had upped their schedule in order to finally take her out.

Because of this, Paul hadn't been able to see Ava as much as he had in the past. Whenever she was able to go to the reservation, chances were that the pack was already preoccupied. Whether it be patrolling or tracking the leech. As much as he didn't like being away, he knew that the sooner they caught the parasite the safer she would be.

"Why is she even going?" He asked, a frown marring his features heavily.

Ava shrugged, keeping her gaze down into her textbook. "Jake."

"She should stay out of it," he continued, muttering under his breath.

"I think it's good that they're talking," she admitted.

The only thing Ava wanted was for Bella to be honest with Jacob; he was holding out for a miracle and he needed to move on. _Then_ an apology to Ava herself wouldn't hurt; trying to play the victim wasn't working, and Ava was tired of Bella's self-righteous attitude during this spat.

He scoffed and leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms. He never liked Ava's cousin, even before he met her, since Jacob's constant thoughts on the pesky girl were annoying.

Charlie walked in at that moment and gave Paul a resigned look; he was glad that Ava had the peace of mind to stay down here, instead of taking the party upstairs. Now, he was a naturally vigilant person, the only times he'd really let his guard down was when he was at home. Because of his attentiveness, he could guess the eventual outcome of his niece and her new friend. She insisted that they weren't anything more than that, but Charlie figured it was just a matter of time.

"Chief Swan," Paul greeted, disregarding the expression Charlie had on his face. Despite Charlie having mentioned that Paul could call him by his first name, he had taken to calling him 'Chief Swan', since _Charlie_ had taken to casually forgetting _his_ name.

Upon hearing this, Charlie pointed at him lazily as he made his way to the refrigerator to grab a drink. "_Packer_."

"Um." Ava interrupted the two and Charlie's attention turned to his niece. "I left some dinner in the oven if you're hungry. I didn't want it to get cold."

Charlie nodded and turned his head back around to open the oven. While his back was turned, Ava gave Paul a trying look; he was _supposed_ to be doing his schoolwork. That was the entire reason he came over, but instead, Paul and her uncle were quibbling amongst each other. Charlie grabbed his plate, hovering his hand to make sure it was warm enough before stalking out of the kitchen.

Turning back down to her book, Ava voiced casually, "don't you think you should be finishing homework in your free time instead of arguing with Charlie."

"I wasn't arguing," he scoffed, shutting his school book with a dull thump.

She opted against answering and instead continued scanning over the chapter that was open; Ava didn't normally study since most subjects came fairly easy to her, but finals were approaching quickly and she wasn't keen on failing. Paul had mentioned his class work needing finishing and Ava, being the person she was, offered that he could come over and work on it at her house. Even proposing that she could help him out once she was done with her own workload.

Paul leaned back against the chair, blowing out an extended hard breath indicating his boredom. She didn't spare him a glance, instead focusing on remembering the content in front of her. Taking a new approach, Paul moved his plate aside and tapped against his book annoyingly.

After a few minutes of the incessant noise, Ava lifted her head, a sweet smile on her face. "What are you doing?"

"I'm bored," he stated simply, stopping his tapping and resting his chin on his hand.

She pursed her lips before giving his book a pointed glance. "You have to leave in, like, an hour, and you haven't done anything."

"Nothing is due until tomorrow," he said with an indifferent tone.

Giving a noise of irritation, Ava slid her book aside and grabbed Paul's. **Chemistry**. She wrinkled her nose; she was okay in science, but it had never been her favorite.

"What do you have to do?" She asked, already flipping through the pages to the chapter he had open for the past thirty minutes.

After not getting a response, she looked up. He was peering at the book as well and when he noticed her stare, he shrugged. "I don't know, honestly. Just know we have something due."

"How can you not know?" Ava griped. "You're the one taking the class."

"I'll just end up copying someone else's."

She narrowed her eyes, shutting his book as he did before and shoving it towards him. "Then why did you come over?"

He only smirked in response, Ava blowing out an exasperated breath.

* * *

_The next day. Wednesday. 4:26 PM. Swan House._

She stared down at the thick envelope resting in her hand; it's very presence was causing her to want to break something.

_TO: Isabella Marie Swan_

_FROM: The University of Alaska-Anchorage_

Glaring down, she felt her lips press into a tight line. Bella had applied two months prior with the intent to pursue some sort of science degree; now with her renewed desire to become a vampire and the return of the Cullens, it was a great excuse to stay out of sight from her family for a year. Ava could only assume that turning into a vampire requires a period of adjustment.

_Maybe I should burn it?_

_Or...bury it in the backyard_.

There wasn't a single reason, except Ava's desire to get rid of the offending paper permanently.

She had envisioned helping Bella move all her stuff there. Staying for a few days, exploring the city. Leaving with a promise that she'd come back soon. Going to her graduation and being the loudest in the crowd.

But now, those aspirations had been wiped clean. The most Ava could hope for with Bella's chosen future was that she didn't rip her throat out at the scent of her blood.

Just as she was about to _accidentally_ rip up the envelope and shove it into the garbage disposal, Charlie entered the kitchen. Ava quickly hid the envelope behind her back and backed up against the counter.

He eyed his niece suspiciously. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," she insisted, shuffling her feet towards the doorway. As she walked passed Charlie, she turned on her heel, striding fully out of the kitchen.

When Ava was out of sight, she ran towards the stairs. She didn't have a plan for the letter, she just wanted to hold on to it. I mean, the odds of Bella being accepted were 50/50, right? There wasn't any harm.

In a flash of curiosity, Ava casually ripped open the envelope and yanked out the letter; her eyes skimmed over the entirety of it, but the subject was clear. She had been accepted.

Unfortunately, things seemed to be against her today because Bella decided to come down the stairs at that very moment. She looked at her, then at the letter, before moving towards the kitchen; Ava didn't think that Bella realized she just walked past her college acceptance. She figured she'd have to give the letter to her at some point, so Ava begrudgingly remained by the stairwell and waited for her to come back.

_I should've just opened it in my room._

"You have mail," Ava started lamely, brandishing the opened letter towards her.

Bella furrowed her eyebrows as she grabbed it. "It's already open."

In a fit of panic, Ava blurted out the first thing on her mind. "Yeah, I think, uh, your _dad_ got really excited. I was just bringing it to you."

Ava could tell her lie barely phased Bella. She took out the folded piece of paper that Ava had shoved back in; Bella blinked at it a few seconds before her lips upturned in a small smile.

"Thanks," she voiced, waving the envelope slightly towards her as she took a single step up the stairs.

As Ava stayed down, she heard Bella's door shut gently.

_She's probably telling Edward the great news._

Feeling childish, she twisted her face into a mock excited expression and cocked her hip.

"_Oh, my god, Edward, look! I'm accepted! Now, I can turn into a vampire, and I'll have an excuse to not see my family."_

Switching her internal voice to a deeper tone, she continued her mental assault._ "That's great, Bella. You know what, why are we waiting? Let's just turn you, right here, right now."_

Ava dropped the expression from her face and stomped up the stairs a little louder than necessary.

* * *

_6:20 PM. Black House._

"When do you think this thing will be up and running?" Ava asked innocently, glancing around the garage.

"When people like _you_ shut up and let me work," Jacob shot back, lifting his head from staring down into the hood of his car.

Huffing, his companion replied pointedly, "you're the one that invited me."

He barked out a laugh and hung his head. "I did _not_ invite you, you just showed up."

"You know, there was a time when you appreciated by company," Ava pouted, resting her elbows on her knees.

Ever since Jacob had showed up at her school, she resolved to try and swing by his house. Ava didn't want to show up when Bella was around, but she knew that this evening she would be heading to the Cullens. When Ava arrived, she half-expected Jacob to be gone; he hadn't been the easiest person to find in the past, but he claimed that he had been in the garage since he got back from school.

"That's long and dead," he joked, laughing at her loud scoff.

Jacob was glad that Ava had shown up; he didn't have any plans, and her presence was something that he found himself longing for as of late. That, and her strange, slightly terrible, sense of humor. He was doing everything he could to keep his mind off her cousin, but with Bella showing up to hang out every day since they had spoken, it was hard for his mind to stray elsewhere. Of course, Jacob could always tell her to back off and leave him alone, but he couldn't bring himself to do that. He didn't think he ever could.

He still loved Bella, and having her around was equal parts difficult and addicting; they tried not to get too deep into talking about sensitive subjects like, more recently, Ava.

Or Bella's plans for her future.

When Bella had told him that she was planning on turning, he was angry. He very nearly phased, but the hope that it was something that wasn't going to happen any time soon, or she'd change her mind by some stroke of luck was enough to calm him. He wasn't stupid; he knew that if she was with Edward her decision was probably never going to change. It's just _hearing_ it was like a slap in the face.

Ava ambled up, shoving her hands into her jacket pockets and peering into the hood. She ignored the confusion that came along, seeing all the parts. "Can I help?"

Raising a patronizing brow, he offered the cool metal in his hand. Ava eyed it for a second, snatching it from his grasp and waving it around like a sword. "What do I do with this?"

"Stand still," he muttered, grabbing another tool and ducking his head back down.

She scoffed in offense and sagged down. "I wanted to _help_."

"You are," he insisted. "Just...stand there and look pretty."

"Isn't that _your_ job." Ava turned on her heel and plopped back down onto the bench. She twirled the wrist that held the tool around a few times, before dropping the hunk of metal onto the dusty ground by her feet.

Jacob continued working in silence, his mind was completely on fixing the car. After another minute passed, Ava's loud – obviously, _bored_ – groan filled the air. He hung his head in defeat, mentally preparing himself before facing the girl; he sent her a dry look and she responded solely with a wide, toothy grin.

"Can I help you?"

Ava hummed in mock contemplation before answering happily. "No_pe_," she popped. "Keep on working."

He only managed to turn around for a second before the same jarring noise was heard. Facing her again, he spoke, "are you _sure _there's nothing I can do?" He squinted at her sweetly.

"Nothing I can think of," she replied, smoothly.

The same thing happened once more, but this time Jacob dropped his tool into the box with a loud clank.

"_Alright_, alright. What do you want to do, Ava?"

"I am _glad_ you ask."

* * *

_The next day. Thursday. 7:09 PM. The Lodge._

Glancing over the menu, she moved her mouth to the side in contemplation.

Lauren and Jessica were seated on the other side of the booth, gossiping about some poor girl that had the misfortune of being paired with Lauren for a class project. Angela was supposed to have joined the group, but she had backed out at the last minute after someone pawned off having to prepare some senior posters.

Unfortunately, Ava wasn't made aware until she had already promised Jessica that she'd join her.

Now, if Ava had known Lauren Mallory would be here, she would have made up some excuse; she didn't like the girl's company very much. And Lauren didn't seem to like Ava either, always eyeing her up and down. She was never sure how Jessica and Lauren got together, but they resembled a tornado of lip gloss and snarky comments when in close proximity.

Both girls were loud and expressive; this wasn't something that bothered Ava, but Lauren was just plain _rude_. At least Jessica had a semblance of compassion – though, when Lauren was involved, it seemed to lessen.

In Ava's opinion, the blonde's personality was just _drilled_ with unpleasantness.

This fact meant Ava tried avoiding hanging around them when they would join forces. It was embarrassing when they were very obviously talking about someone; gossiping amongst each other was one thing, but when they're pointing and snickering, it annoyed her.

Ava was 100% sure Lauren thought she was God's gift to Forks High School. She walked the halls like she owned the place, and half the kids wanted to be her friend. It was _definitely_ due to her popularity, not her personality; she had probably bullied over half the high school by now, but still had people pining over being her friend.

"Where the hell is the waiter?" Jessica complained quietly, glancing behind over the seat.

Lauren gave her a strange look and leaned into her. "You're actually ordering?"

"Uh, yeah," Jessica replied slowly. "I haven't had dinner."

"Neither have I," Lauren said haughtily, raising her eyebrows. "But there's no way I'm eating here."

"Then why did you choose this place."

"Cute waiters!"

"You _just_ said you're not ordering."

Lauren flipped her hair over her shoulder and blinked innocently. "That doesn't mean I can't _look_."

"What about Tyler?"

"What _about_ him?"

Ava discreetly rolled her eyes and tuned them both out; this was too much 'snide teenage girl' that she could handle. She was debating ordering a garden burger, Bella had mentioned it a while back and said that it was pretty good; suddenly, Jessica's hand smacked down onto Ava's menu and caused it to hit the table loudly.

Her light pink manicure stared up at her, and Ava looked up. She met Jessica's light brown eyes, the girl's eyebrows drawn together in confusion. "Hello? Are you even listening?"

"No," Ava admitted, glancing at Lauren. "Sorry."

"I _asked_," Lauren enunciated incredibly slowly, drawing the attention back to her. "If _Bella_ is still with _Edward_?"

Ava smiled at Lauren and after a second, answered just as slowly. "They _are_, thanks for asking.

Lauren returned Ava's sickly-sweet demeanor and released a forced giggle. "Well, that's _great_. What about you?"

Dropping the stiff smile, Ava lifted her shoulders lazily. "What about me?"

"Any prospects?" The bottle-blonde inquired, leaning in. "Mike, maybe?"

Ava saw Jessica stiffen, and she wanted to yank out Lauren's hair; she was just trying to stir up drama. Mike and Jessica had been broken up for a while now, but she knew Jessica still harbored feelings for the popular jock.

Plastering the sugared smile back on, Ava shook her head sweetly. This girl was getting on her last nerve. "No, Mike's just a friend. _Tyler_, maybe."

Lauren replaced her smile with a glare and leaned back roughly. Tyler was nice, and Ava had no idea why he was with Lauren; even if they _were_ on-again, off-again. She knew that mentioning Tyler was a low blow, the guy had asked Ava to a movie a while back during one of their off periods...at least, she liked to _hope_ it was an off period.

"The, uh-the waiter is coming." Jessica intervened, waving someone over frantically.

Ava broke her stare with Lauren and faced the waiter; he was an older guy, maybe college. Lauren wasn't in the mood after Ava's comment to flirt and took out her phone. Ava and Jessica quickly placed their orders and just as she looked to the side, her mood was elevated.

"Kim?" Ava smiled. The dark-haired girl looked at her in surprise and paused on the way to her next table.

She was dressed in casual clothing and had a black apron tied around her waist; her hair was pinned up loosely and she was balancing a tray of drinks.

"Av-hey!" Kim smiled widely, jostling the tray. She grimaced as she turned towards it and quickly supported it with her other hand. "I'm gonna-" Kim glanced at Ava, then back at the table that needed their drink orders filled. "I'll be back!"

Lauren and Jessica stared at Ava, eyes narrowed, and their mouths having fallen open slightly. Eyeing them both funnily, Ava spoke, "what?"

"Who is she?" Lauren asked. She had promptly snapped out of her sour mood and her eyes were sparkling at the prospect of some gossip.

"She lives in La Push," Ava informed carefully. If she said anything that Lauren could run with, she'd twist the story in any way she could. "And works here, apparently."

"How do you know someone from the reservation?" She continued, cocking her head to the side.

Shrugging, Ava pursed her lips. "Dunno. Just do."

Opening her mouth to continue the interrogation, Lauren was interrupted when Kim appeared at the side of their table.

"Hey!" The girl smiled brightly, leaning down to give her friend a swift hug.

"I didn't know you worked here." Ava furrowed her brows good-naturedly; she considered her and Kim good friends, and she was surprised that it never came up.

"Yeah, there really aren't any jobs down on the rez," she admitted. "And I kind of _just_ got this job." Kim glanced at the two other girls staring at her and smiled nervously.

In an attempt to avoid any awkward silence, Ava spoke up, "Kim, this is Jessica and Lauren…" The two girls twisted their lips into a smile as they sized her up. "Lauren, Jessica, this is Kim."

"It's nice to meet you," Kim offered, shyly.

She wasn't an extroverted person. She wasn't very sociable or talkative, and most people didn't really come up to her just to talk, like they would Ava. Kim really didn't think she was anything special, the only thing she truly considered remarkable about her was her significant other.

She enjoyed having a small group of friends, her family, and her boyfriend; by the looks of Jessica and Lauren, she didn't think they would be very friendly. They _looked_ like the stereotypical mean girls that one would see in a movie or TV show, but Kim didn't want to draw any solid conclusion on them considering they just met.

"Hi," Jessica replied back easily.

"Likewise." Lauren twirled a piece of her hair idly.

Despite wanting to avoid awkwardness, the silence settled, and Kim was beginning to get uncomfortable at the uninterested stares that they were giving her. She felt like she was giving a presentation in front of the class and she was failing. _Miserably_.

"You should probably get back to work," Ava voiced, Kim sending her a grateful smile. Ava gave her a small wink. "We don't wanna get you into trouble."

"That _would_ be a shame." Lauren gave her a saccharine-filled smiled, waving off Kim dismissively. "Go on."

Jessica remained silent, only shooting Kim a small smile when she glanced her way. As Kim walked off, Lauren burst into repressed laughter.

"Oh, my god." Feigning wiping away a tear, Lauren rounded on Ava. "Ava, how do you even know her?"

"Lauren..." Jessica tried.

She didn't think that her and Kim would ever have been friends, but she looked nice. She could understand how Ava and Kim would get along easily, and Lauren was a person that could very easily get carried away with something.

Lauren paid her no mind. "I mean, she looks so quiet."

Ava narrowed her eyes at Lauren and frowned. "So, what?"

"Nothing." Lauren waved. "Don't get your panties in a twist, she just...doesn't seem like your crowd."

"And _you're_ my crowd?"

"Maybe not _me_." Lauren giggled and clasped her hand onto Jessica, shaking her slightly. "But, Jess here is a good example."

Biting her tongue, Ava kept back the venom; she wasn't very confrontational, but Lauren was walking a thin line.

Thankfully, Lauren turned her attention to Jessica. Ava felt herself instinctively un-tense.

"When are you going to get over Mike."

...And tense again.

"Why don't we talk about something else?" Ava suppressed the immense annoyance in her voice. All she wanted was to get her food, eat, then _leave_.

"Like what?" Lauren raised a brow.

Ava tried thinking of a topic that would even _remotely_ entertain her but came up short. Jessica luckily chimed in, knowing the perfect question. "Have you found your graduation dress?"

Thankfully, Lauren's superficial brain immediately jump-started, and she delved into every tiny detail. Jessica joined in animatedly, already forgetting Lauren's previous snarky prompts and pokes about Mike. Ava had no idea why Jessica even hung out with her; she supposed they were more similar than different, but that didn't erase Lauren's utter _boorish_ attitude.

Man, Ava just wanted this dinner to be over.

* * *

Favorite and Follow! And if you have a second, leave a review and tell me what you think!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Ava: **Paul is my bf.  
**Charlie:** Best friend or boyfriend?  
**Ava:** Yes.

.+.

**Jessica**: Someone's coming. Someone you don't like.  
**Lauren:**  
**Lauren:** That could be anyone.

.+.

**Lauren:** Out of my way, extras.  
**Jessica:** Stop calling people you don't know, extras.


	31. Chapter 31

**Title**: The Best Of Times: Trailing for Hope  
**Chapter 31**: In The Throes, or I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watching Me  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington, permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shape-shifter either. ...No Bella, or Edward-bashing. Follows storyline from "New Moon". _Despite my attempts to write a believable Paul/OC fic, there's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: I apologize for any grammatical errors, as I have to go to work at 4AM tomorrow and I'm _not_ excited. But, I _am_ excited for next chapter! That's when things really kick off and the Eclipse arc is fully in place.

P.S. If I missed something grammatical or something doesn't make sense, please PM me and let me know!

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! :)

* * *

_The next day. Friday. 7:12 PM. Emily Young and Sam Uley's House._

Shutting her eyes, Ava was vainly fighting her exhaustion. The day had passed by incredibly slow, and she was progressively becoming more sluggish. Mixed with the fact that she wasn't sleeping that just amplified her fatigue.

The one thing that was truly weighing on her...well, _two_ things, if she counted Paul, was the trip to Port Angeles. For whatever reason, that hadn't been shaken from her mind and Ava found herself becoming more and more paranoid.

She didn't think Victoria was around; if she was anywhere near Forks, Alice would have gotten a vision, or the Uley pack would have attempted to catch her. Still, it was the unknown presence that caused Ava's constant nervous tension. Despite Paul's reassurance that the pack would get her before she got too close, she was apprehensive.

When Ava had arrived at Emily's an hour earlier, she noted that the pack was already gone. Sam was running them ragged to track Victoria down as soon as possible.

Something else that appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, within Ava had her taken completely by surprise. It was always _impossible_ to avoid the feeling of restlessness that would pass over when she would see that Paul wasn't there. Granted, after seeing him hanging around Emily's all the time, or having him present at her own home, it left her wondering more and more about him.

She actually didn't realize it at first – only registering a faint tick in her brain and demeanor – but his absence constantly left her feeling strange. She couldn't explain it, and in all honesty, it made her antsy.

The more logical, or perhaps, _illogical_, side of her brain was telling her that it was the soulmate thing; that _somehow_, it managed to crawl inside of her and now she was stuck with that feeling for the rest of her life. It was freaking her out, and in the sense of some cheesy fairytale, it felt like some old magic had bound her and Paul together for eternity.

Ava was dwelling on the fact that she'd basically _just_ met the guy, but she'd never felt anything even _close_ to this degree before. Her life had been turned on its head in a matter of seeming seconds, and the thought of something happening to anyone she's unwittingly grown to care about was terrifying.

"You're spilling batter onto my floor."

She jolted out of her thoughts and met Emily's face that was suppressing laughter. Looking down, Ava had been progressively amplifying the hand that was whisking the cupcake batter.

"Oh, sorry." Ava lifted her hand that held the whisk and shook it gently to drip the remaining back into the bowl.

"Are you okay?" Emily asked, grabbing the bowl from her.

Ava nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Emily didn't press the subject and carefully poured the batter into cupcake holders on the baking sheet. She had invited Ava over with the intent to help her choose a flavor for her wedding cupcakes; she didn't have a set date yet, but to avoid some future stress she wanted to get the smaller things out of the way.

After Emily popped the sheet into the oven she bounced the palm of her hand gently atop a cupcake from another batch that had been prepared. "Do the red velvet look a little dry?"

Looking over, Ava shrugged. "They look good to me. Lemon, though." She pointed to the opposite side of the counter before continuing, "taste like a _literal_ lemon."

"Too tart?"

Ava hummed in agreement. "Yeah, I have no idea where we went wrong."

"We followed the recipe," Emily mumbled, snatching a scrap piece of paper off the fridge and scanning it over. She groaned and crumpled it up. "These are a bust."

Ava picked up one of the offending lemon cupcakes and pulled off the holder, pinching the fluffy bread. "They feel fine, though. Not really dry." Plucking a red velvet from another batch, Ava repeated her actions. "Red velvet might actually be, a little." The crumbs from the cupcake scattering onto the counter.

Emily plopped onto a bar chair and rested her elbows on the counter, interweaving her fingers. She had her brows drawn in concentration and after a second, she blew a swift, irritated breath up, loosening her stray bangs. With a blank look on her face, she spoke, "this is a disaster."

"No." Ava insisted, shaking her head and taking a pointed bite out of the cupcake. "Okay, they're not _that_ dry." Her speech muffled around the red velvet bite.

"Not the red velvet," Emily corrected, straightening up. She looked around for a second before sighing. "We made a huge mess."

Glancing around, Ava grimaced. There were numerous bowls scattered around, batter coated a few surfaces, and the basic ingredients they used for the baked goods were everywhere.

_Including_ all over the two of them. The aprons that they had put on before beginning only prevented a minuscule amount from falling onto the front of their clothes.

The rest managed to land nearly anywhere else, and surely Ava's face matched Emily's. Emily had flour dusted onto her cheeks and hands, and everything she touched left a white skid mark.

There were five different batches that had been prepared, not including the strawberry that Emily had put into the oven. Vanilla, chocolate, lemon, red velvet, and cinnamon were placed around on any available surface.

"We should probably clean up a little," Ava suggested. The floor was sprinkled with a mixture of broken egg shells, sugar, flour, and a few scattered utensils.

As they began their clean-up, they truly realized the sheer number of cupcakes that had been made. After placing as many as they could onto the dining table, they started wiping down and organizing the counters. All in all, it took over thirty minutes for the kitchen to have a semblance of cleanliness. Just in time too, because the oven dinged, alerting them to the finished batch in the oven.

Emily reached a mitted hand inside, grabbing the pan and pulling it out. She placed the sheet onto the stove to cool. "These look pretty good."

Ava peeked over Emily, seeing the light pink cakes. She smiled, the strawberry scent wafting up to her nose. "Have you guys picked the color scheme, yet? Because these would be _so_ cute."

"I don't know how Sam would feel about pink." Emily giggled.

"I mean, he's only the _groom_," Ava teased.

The older girl's giggles dissolved, and she kept the amused smile spread across her face. "You make a good point."

Ava sat back down on one of the bar chairs and propped her elbows onto the counter. Resting her head atop a hand, she observed Emily silently.

"How are we going to eat all of these." Ava wondered aloud, the prolonged quiet making her realize that she was surrounded by an army of varied-colored cupcakes.

It seemed like the same thought hit Emily as well, because she stopped squeezing the icing into the piping bag. "I have no clue."

"Something smells good!" Embry's voice boomed through the house as he strolled inside, leaving the door wide open. Ava's expression morphed into one of amusement. Embry was already looking over the selections, rapidly plucking one after another and placing them into the crook of his elbow.

Emily gave Ava a smile, mouthing, "_that's how_."

The remaining pack barreled through as well, the kitchen immediately filled to the brim and hands snapping out from every direction to grab as many pastries they could carry. The younger members scrambling to grab whatever they could manage; it wasn't a pack lunch or dinner, which meant their first-dibs rule was thrown out the window.

"What kind is this?" Embry asked, not waiting for the answer. He shoved the entire cupcake into his mouth, munching for a few seconds before brightening. "Chrshms!"

Jared frowned, plucking from the same batch. "What?" He sniffed the top before taking a bite. "Cinnamon."

"I said, _Christmas_," Embry replied after swallowing, snatching up a few.

"Move it." Paul jabbed Embry in the side, reaching over and swiping the counter clean of the cupcakes that laid atop.

It was like this for the next few minutes, complete seeming chaos. Ava was surprised that the kitchen was still in one piece. Jared was trying to convince Jacob and Quil to give him a few extra, claiming that he needed to take some to Kim. Brady and Collin were trading flavors like trading cards. Embry and Seth were organizing and counting theirs on the dining table, trying to see who got the most. Even Sam was trying to convince Emily to make an extra batch for him once everyone left, peeved that he only managed a few handfuls. The only member that wasn't present was Leah, but that wasn't surprising for anyone.

She sensed someone come up to her side, holding an iced cake under her nose. She glanced down before turning to face Paul who shook the cupcake enticingly.

"'Was 'sum?" His voice was incredibly muffled, and a few crumbs fell out of his mouth as he spoke. He, like everyone else, had gathered a good amount in his arm, guarding them in case someone tried swiping.

Ava couldn't help but release a quick laugh, shaking her head at the offer. "No, thanks. I already had a few."

He chewed a few more seconds, swallowing thickly. Keeping his gaze on her, he silently appreciated the amused squint of her eyes and the smile that adorned her lips. "You have frosting in your hair." Paul smirked, flicking a group of strands that had stuck together from the icing.

Ava leaned back, and she tugged self-consciously on the tuft of hair with a grimace. "I _know_."

"You look like a tornado flew through it." Embry offered innocently, dodging the daggers that Ava glared his way. But _not_ dodging the cupcake missile that Paul launched. It flew through the air, striking Embry right on the forehead and smashing flat against his tanned skin.

He whined, the now-flat cake flopping onto the dining table. The frosting remained stuck, and everyone burst into laughter. "Nice shot!" Jared managed through his chortle.

"'_Nice shot'_," Embry mocked, the sulkiness evident in his voice and he wiped at his forehead. The younger members continued snickering.

Ava's face shifted from annoyed to amused. "Embry, it's almost eight. Isn't it past your bedtime?"

The boy in question blew out a sarcastic laugh. "You're _funny_, anyone ever tell you that?" Jacob smacked the back of his best friend's head, unable to keep the smile off his face. Quil reached over and swiped Embry's forehead to gather the remaining frosting and smearing it across his cheek, successfully starting a small scuffle.

Breathing out another laugh, she kept the smirk on her face and turned to her well-pleased savior. "Thank you."

"Anytime," Paul replied, satisfied with his perfect aim.

There was a rare silence that settled before it was broken within a second. "Sam." Collin's childish voice broke through the kitchen, looking at their alpha with wide eyes. "When can we go on patrol with you guys?"

"Yeah." Brady added, jutting out his bottom lip in a pout. Their pack brothers had only invited him, Collin, and Seth along _after_ their patrol shift tonight. He didn't think it was fair, they wanted to play a bigger role, but Sam was strict.

"Another time." Sam's voice held no room for argument and the boys backed down. Seth wasn't as bothered by it, he'd gotten used to the dismissal after weeks of begging Sam for the same thing.

"It's getting late," Ava started cautiously, preparing for the onslaught of comments.

"No, it's not!" Quil complained. Embry sniggered smugly, adding, "_now_, who has the bedtime."

Jacob frowned. "Just stay a while longer, Charlie won't mind. He never does." Ava gave Jacob a small smile before replying, "he won't, but I should still get home."

"Are you coming down tomorrow?" Emily asked, leaning further onto Sam.

Giving her a glance, Ava's mouth curved into a wider smile. She began digging through her bag set on the counter, searching for her keys. "I'm not sure. I have a final on Monday and I _need_ to study. If I don't though, I'll come by Sunday, definitely."

Embry's obnoxiously loud groan filled the air. "Come on, Ave! You're going to pass."

"If I study," she shot back, yanking her keys from the bottom of the bag.

"You've never failed a stupid class." Embry rolled his eyes once Ava swiveled in her seat to meet his face.

Ava didn't reply, sliding off the bar chair. The keys were pressed into her hands, making a light jangling noise as she waved. "Bye, guys." Ava dragged out her farewell as she walked towards the front door.

She lingered, waiting for everyone's good-byes to die down. As soon as they did, she stepped out and left the front door open, Paul slinking out a second later.

It wasn't a shock. Over time, she had grown accustomed to him insisting on making sure she got home. Lately she had a feeling that it was only to prevent her from going to Leah's, but she didn't dwell on it too much.

It had become a silent, comforting expectation that Ava genuinely appreciated. The drive home for her without him would be full of overthinking and coupled with the darkness, she'd probably get into an accident.

* * *

_9:17 PM. Swan Residence_.

The near-constant drizzle of the rain wasn't present, the night only resonating with the steady chime of the crickets. But despite the silence, the air settled was comfortable.

The pair had arrived minutes before, Paul now leaning against the porch column and Ava with her arms folded loosely across her chest.

Breaking the serene silence, Ava spoke, "how was everything tonight?" Referring to their patrol before they had arrived at Emily and Sam's.

"Quiet," Paul admitted.

The unknown whereabouts of their current target was beginning to tear at him. He knew the bloodsucker was out there, but she wasn't close enough to have her scent detectable; Sam hadn't spoken to the Forks leeches, hoping that his pack would be able to track and take her out without having to come to a truce.

At this point, Paul would entertain a temporary understanding with the domesticated bloodsuckers. Only if it meant they would catch the redhead.

"Isn't that good?" Ava asked, her voice laced with thin optimism.

Paul had already detected the slight change in her attitude. Where most people would chalk up her recent languid movements to a bad night's sleep, he noted everything. Paul tracked the changes to when she found out about the redhead being back. If he had to guess, Ava was already concerned about her own safety, as well as her leech-lover of a cousin's.

And if he opened his mouth about the subject, he would reveal his true, near exhausting, fear.

"It's late." Was what he said instead.

She gave him a small, reassuring smile.

Ava had easily noted the minuscule transition in Paul; his shoulders seemed fixed in one position, squared directly in preparation for an upcoming attack. His eyes were almost always narrowed, especially when they were off the reservation. Along with those nearly non-visible signs, his under-eye circles had become even more defined in the past weeks.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" She suggested, keeping up her barely-there confident front.

She couldn't worry him. She couldn't tell him that her paranoia was beginning to impinge on her life to a staggering degree; Ava's body and mind hadn't been able to allow her to rest comfortably, almost unconsciously waiting for something to strike.

He had enough to worry about without questioning her deteriorating sanity.

* * *

_9:22 PM. Swan House._

Shutting the door behind her, she peeked through the curtains and waited for Paul to disappear. As soon as he did, she turned around, Charlie coming into view immediately.

Ava was startled, jumping up in surprise. "_Jeez_-"

"Hey, kid." Charlie's gruff voice interrupted her. Glancing at the shut door, he deepened his frown. "Bella with you?"

"No," Ava said. "She isn't home?"

"Said she was going somewhere with the Cullens," he answered. Raising her brow slightly, Ava gave him a strange look. "Then why would she be with me?"

Charlie turned on his heel to stalk back into the living room, his exhausted sigh echoing through the small foyer. "Hope, Ava. _Hope_."

Ava smiled at her uncle's dramatics; he would grasp at any chance that Bella wasn't with her boyfriend. Ava bounded behind him, watching Charlie heave back down and pick up a file.

Stopping in the doorway, she started innocently, "can I-"

"No." Charlie immediately said, glancing up at his niece.

He already knew she was going to ask if she could snoop through the file, the girl was too curious for her own good.

Ava's face dropped and she groaned, tilting her head up to look at the ceiling. "_Please_."

He didn't respond.

"_Please_." She dragged out louder, waiting until he looked up before stopping. She smiled toothily, crouching behind the opposite couch and peeking over the top.

"It's just another missing kid," Charlie breathed out finally. "Another in Seattle."

She straightened up off the ground, frowning. "Another one? That's, like, the third in the past week."

Charlie nodded grimly before looking back down. "There has to be a connection," he mumbled to himself, eyes skimming over the file.

"You're being careful?" Charlie asked suddenly. Being the Chief of Police, even in the small town of Forks, Charlie knew what went on; he needed to make sure Ava and Bella were being careful.

Ava nodded, a soothing smile on her face. "Of course." Sensing the end of the conversation, she spoke as she made her way towards the stairs. "I'm gonna head up."

"I'll be down here." Charlie called, hearing Ava's footsteps near the stairs. Pinching the skin in between his eyebrows, he could feel the sleep beginning to take over.

He laid out, preparing to take a quick nap before slamming back into his work.

* * *

_10:22 PM. Swan House._

Ava snapped her eyes open.

Her bedroom was dark, only illuminated by the dim glow of the moon. She lifted her upper body and glanced around uneasily. She wasn't surprised that she had woken up. As of late, when she _did_ manage to sleep, she awoke numerous times in the night.

Only this time, it felt like a sudden weight had been pressed against her chest, and she was struggling to even her breathing.

An uncontrollable, familiar jolt of shivers ran through her body and coupled with the uneasy tickle on the back of her neck, Ava immediately panicked. Making the near instant connection that this was exactly what she felt when she had been in Port Angeles, she shivered again, only this time out of fear.

She felt naked with the cool air in her bedroom settled around her, like someone, or some_thing_ had been watching her.

It felt...off. _Again_.

Turning towards her window, she saw that it was open a crack. _Enough for the air to come in, _Ava thought, swinging her legs over the side of her bed and stalking closer. She peered through the glass, not seeing anything that would evoke suspicion. _Charlie must have opened it._

Shutting it firmly, she made sure the lock was in place before turning on her heel. She darted her eyes around, noticing that her bedroom door was open a crack, too. _What the hell. I could've sworn I shut it…didn't I?_

Ava poked her head out, not hearing anything. Bella's door was open as well, but that could have just meant she still wasn't home.

_I'm getting too paranoid, _Ava thought, trying to shake off the feeling. Shutting her door as she did the window, Ava crawled back into bed. She definitely didn't think she was going to get much sleep but shut her eyes nonetheless.

* * *

Favorite and Follow! And if you have a second, leave a review and tell me what you think!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Jared: **You just make people a little nervous.  
**Paul: **Yeah? That's because they're a bunch of bitch ass tribe boys.  
**Jared:** I hate to break this to you, but you're also a bitch ass tribe boy.

.+.

_[about to leave on patrol]  
_**Ava**: Well, what am I supposed to do while you're gone?  
**Paul**: I don't know. What do you normally do?  
**Ava, voice cracking**: Wait for you to get back.

_[alternatively]_

_[Ava doing literally anything without him]  
_**Paul**: Well, what am I supposed to do while you're gone?  
**Ava**: I don't know. What do you normally do?  
**Paul, voice cracking**: Wait for you to get back.

.+.

**Sam:** Alright, I got a box, we're gonna put everything we love in the box.  
**Paul:** Can I put Ava in the box?  
**Sam:** No.  
**Jacob:** Can *I* put Ava in the box?  
**Sam:** No.  
**Embry:** Can *I* put Av-  
**Sam: **No.**  
Quil: **Can *I*-**  
Sam:** No one is putting Ava in the box.

.+.

**Emily:** For the last time, it's called cauliflower. It's not ghost broccoli.  
**Seth, staring blankly at the wall:** I know what I saw.


	32. Chapter 32

**Title**: The Best Of Times: Trailing for Hope  
**Chapter 32**: rIsE aNd ShInE, or A Decision Set In Stone  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington, permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shape-shifter either. ...No Bella, or Edward-bashing. Follows storyline from "New Moon". _Despite my attempts to write a believable Paul/OC fic, there's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: I apologize for any grammatical errors, as I have a crush on my coworker and I'm pretty sure homeboy has a girlfriend hahaha oh whale. Also, Happy New Year to all! Let's all make 2020 a good one.

Things pick up in this chapter, but it's pretty short compared to my other chapters thus far. So, I went ahead and edited the next chapter and I'll be posting that one in a few days following this one!

P.S. If I missed something grammatical or something doesn't make sense, please PM me and let me know!

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! :)

* * *

_The next day. Saturday. 6:45 AM. Swan House._

With a hand gripping her shoulder and shaking her vigorously, a rough awakening was all that Ava received this morning.

"You're up." A relief-filled voice breathed out, Ava recognizing it immediately.

Lifting her upper body, she blinked groggily and didn't spare her guest a glance. She must have fallen asleep again last night despite her adamant beliefs that she'd be wide awake.

After a long second, Ava glared the best she could at her cousin. "Yeah, that's generally what happens when you fall asleep. You wake up." As she finished speaking, she rubbed at her eyes to try and wipe off the stiff, burning feeling.

Bella didn't pay Ava's reaction any mind, exhaling again in relief that she was okay.

Ava was still grumbling underneath her breath. "I think you gave me whiplash." She rolled her shoulders back, loosening up her muscles.

"I saw you sleeping last night, but then you didn't wake up this morning and I-"

"Wait," Ava interrupted, finding it _way_ too early to try and make sense of what Bella was saying. "You _watched_ me sleep?"

Furrowing her brows, Bella shook her head slightly in disbelief. "Edward and I did."

Ava leaned back, her nose wrinkling. "That's weird."

"Ava," Bella hissed.

"What?" She raised an eyebrow, mouth slightly agape. "It's _weird_. That's not a habit, is it?"

"Listen to me." After noting her voice laced with desperation, Ava shut her mouth.

Given a moment to speak freely, Bella began, "did you…hear, or-or _see_ anything last night? Footsteps? Anything weird?"

A brief pause passed before Ava answered, "…I don't…" Her mind flashed to the night before. Feeling watched. Vulnerable. Weak. "Why?"

Bella eyed her before standing up. She shifted, before she shut the bedroom door quietly and took a seat back down. "There was someone in the house." She searched Ava's face, watching her reaction. When she didn't give one, Bella continued, "a-a vampire. We think."

Saying it out loud made things much more real and Bella stood up again, unable to remain still. She ran a shaking hand through her hair. "Another one, I mean, not Victoria. We don't know who it was, but-"

"Another one?" Ava whispered to herself, catching Bella's attention and pausing her vocal tirade. "Last night? I didn't…I-I don't..." She could feel her voice thickening.

"We have to be careful," Bella insisted, caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't notice her cousin's strange expression. When she got home the night before, admittedly a little late, Edward immediately sensed something was wrong.

It took some convincing on her father's end of things to allow Bella to go back to the Cullens that night. It was already late, but Bella claimed she left something important. It was there that Edward explained that it wasn't Victoria, but a complete other vampire – he didn't recognize the scent.

All in all, they were left stumped.

"Last night, Edward sensed something when we got to the house," Bella continued. "Dad was up, but we checked on you."

"Did you leave my door open?" Ava cut off suddenly.

Bella squinted at her in confusion before shaking her head. "No. It was open," she said blankly, already back on her own train of thought.

"They're going to need help," Bella resumed, trying to remember every scrap of a detail that was spoken about. "We have to make sure no one goes without feeding too long while keeping the house guarded all the time."

As she spoke, Ava nodded dumbly. "So, the pack-"

"They should have spoken to them by now. Carlisle said he would," Bella interrupted.

Ava could hear the thump in her chest from her deepened heartbeat. Her hands had gone numb and she could feel the immediate stiffness in her fingers when she tried flexing them silently.

Inside her _room_.

She only had time to debate for a split-second on telling Bella what happened during the night, but before she came to a decision there was a sharp knocking at her door. Both girls jumped up at the sudden noise, nerves on edge.

"Uh, Jacob and…_Peter_, are here."

Ava visibly relaxed at her uncle's voice and she took a shaky breath, hoping her voice was clear enough to not spark suspicion from Charlie or Bella. "Okay, on my way down!" She called before turning to Bella. "I need to change."

Bella glanced down, taking in her pajamas, before nodding uneasily. "Yeah, okay."

As she stepped out of Ava's room and walked towards her own, Bella caught Paul's eye at the foot of the stairs. His eyes narrowed sharply, glancing in the direction of Ava's room before meeting Bella's gaze.

She pursed her lips, ignoring his glare and shoving her door open roughly. Bella's feeling towards the majority of the Uley pack still hadn't changed, despite keeping in close contact with Jake. She hated that there was still a huge rift in her relationship with Ava; Bella had never been the type to express herself, so trying to mend the relationship was much harder than she thought. She didn't have much experience in trying to get Ava to speak to her, only having the empty apologies that she thought would help in the beginning; never had an argument or disagreement lasted over a day, and Ava was nearly always the one to initiate some sort of contact. And Bella would go from there.

As terrifying this situation was, a small part of her was glad that this had happened because it gave Bella a good reason to talk to her.

* * *

_6:57 AM. Swan House._

When Bella walked out, Ava shut the door behind her. She rested her forehead against the wood desperately, trying to think through _any_ possible scenario that would explain the strange happenings.

And when nothing came to mind, she turned on her heel and pressed her back against the door. She raked her hand through the front of her hair, holding it in place while she attempted to breath calmly.

Ava didn't have the mental storage to think about how everything was going to change; all that she was running with at full speed was how she could have died.

That vampire in the house could have slashed her to _pieces_ the night before. They could have bitten her, bled her dry, and wouldn't have had a single problem with it. Not only her, but _Charlie_. With a final shaky breath, she heaved herself off the door, swaying slightly.

She didn't know how much time had passed since Bella left, the time having morphed into a blur. Ava only assumed that it had been long enough, and she quickly threw on a random pair of jeans hanging on the back of her desk chair and grabbed a shirt off a hanger. She ran her still trembling fingers through her hair, trying to get a semblance of a style before noticing her incredibly dark under-eye circles.

Ava had done a good job hiding them until this point. Now, they were too far gone for just makeup. She _needed_ sleep. The hues of purple stretched from her inner eye away from her nose in a soft arch; her eyes were bright, but the red veins branching off were definitely noticeable giving the impression of either consecutive weeks of insomnia, or a constant smoker of green.

It took her a second before thinking, _makeup_. Even if it didn't cover completely, she felt the need to try.

She wasn't planning on slamming her face into her makeup bag today, but she _did_ slather on a layer of concealer and curl her eyelashes. With a single drop of eye drops in each of her eyes, Ava was ready, already feeling more refreshed.

_It isn't gonna get much better_.

She opened her bedroom door, distracted with digging through her bag to make sure she had her phone.

Much to her shock, she abruptly collided with a _stone wall_. Strong arms encircled her to keep her from stumbling and she immediately recognized them. "What are you doing up here?"

"Getting you," Paul snapped, scanning her over. He jumped into the questions instantly. "You're okay? Why weren't-"

"I'm fine." She cut him off, a tight smile plastering itself across her face.

Ava was hoping to have a minute or two to gather herself and give a believable front. Looks like now she was going to have to wing it. "I didn't hear anything. _See_ anything." She attempted to interweave her words with a reassuring lace. "I'm okay."

The idea wasn't smart, Ava knew that much. But she had done a good job at keeping her paranoia at bay; she knew that if she said something _now_, Paul would be even more upset that she hadn't told him. She already suspected that he wasn't buying it because he had on a biting scowl, even at this early hour.

In an attempt of ill-placed humor to wipe the expression from his face, Ava joked, "...how'd you get past Charlie?"

It didn't work.

"You're staying at Emily's until-"

"What?" Ava snorted, shaking off his hold. His face was completely serious and for the first time she could recall, he looked pissed. Only this time it was at _her_.

"Emily's," he bit out slowly, as if speaking to a child. Her immediate refusal had struck a nerve, and he resisted the urge to just haul her there whether she wanted to or not. "You need to stay safe-"

She furrowed her brows and brushed past him, making her way towards the stairs. She could feel his presence almost directly behind her, but she continued on, taking a few steps down. "I'm not staying at Emily's. Bella and Charlie are-"

"Are you _kidding_ me?" He hissed, his voice directly by her ear and his breath fanning across the side of her face. "Some leech broke into your house and-"

"I'm fine," Ava assured distractedly; the front door was open, and she could see Jacob and Bella were outside along with Edward. Glancing to the side to make sure Charlie wasn't within hearing distance, she hopped down the remaining steps.

"_And,_ you don't even seem to care. Ava, Emily's is better, I can keep-"

"Stop," Ava whispered harshly, turning her head and trying her best to ignore the close proximity that they were in.

From up close, Ava could see her reflection in his eyes and the lightest sprinkle of freckles across his nose; his skin was blemish-free, save for a small scar that was hidden in his eyebrow, and his lips were _perfect_. …Only that they were downturned in a scathing frown.

Disregarding the turn in her stomach, only for completely different reasons that the situation called for, she ground out, "I'm staying _here_."

* * *

_8:15 AM. Emily Young and Sam Uley's House._

"They'll guard at their designated times. When they need to hunt, we'll switch," Sam informed, speaking to his pack all seated around.

"So, it's a whole 'nother one?" Quil rubbed the back of his neck, wrinkling his nose in discomfort.

Jared blew out a heavy breath, lolling his head to look at Ava. "Dude, your cousin is a leech _magnet_."

She only pursed her lips in response to him, turning to address Sam. "So, what? Is there a method, or shifts…? When will we start? Or, how will you know-"

"Shifts," Sam assured, cutting her off before she continued, nodding once. Seeing the blatant worry across her face, he attempted to ease her nerves. "Ava, you don't need to worry. With everyone working toward the same goal, we'll get them."

"I know." Ava tried smiling. They were trying to help, but her mind was too occupied to think straight. She had no idea what was going to happen; Victoria was still after Bella, and now they had _another_ vampire to keep an eye out for.

Sam continued on, dividing up the shifts between the pack. The only missing face was Jacob, since he had remained with Bella and Edward.

Leah was hovering to the side; her arms crossed and face displaying her signature glare. She wasn't looking at anyone, her eyes trained on the floor but still listening. She wasn't interested in helping the Cullens or their little trainee vampire, but doing so meant that she had a chance to take one out without breaking any rules.

_Besides_, if the leech took out the airhead as Leah had dubbed her in their time together, that would be inconvenient.

"Wait, so if there are shifts, we're going to have to guard at night sometimes? Then go to school in the morning?" Embry complained. "Why can't the Cullens just guard it every night? It's not like they need the sleep."

"It's not ideal." Sam agreed. "But, we're going to have to make it work. You won't be on guard every night, Embry. And nightly guards _do_ mean our chances of being spotted are lessened."

The dark-haired boy continued mumbling under his breath, and Jared chimed in, "besides, if the Cullens guard at night and we guard it during the day, it's not like you'd be able to go to school anyway, stupid."

The boys quibbled for a few minutes.

Paul stayed quiet through all this. He'd been by Ava's side since earlier that morning, but he was so damn _pissed_. Pissed at _her _for not listening to him. Pissed at her leech-lover of a _cousin_ for causing more fucking problems. Even pissed at _himself_ for not keeping a constant eye on her.

That parasite should have _never_ gotten that close. He could still smell the disgustingly sweet stench clinging onto her, and now that the pack had the scent, there was no way it was going to set foot nearby without being ripped apart.

Needless to say…he wasn't happy.

He had on a permanent glare, biting the head off anyone who asked about it. After he accidentally snapped at Sam, everyone backed off. Paul wasn't one for raising his voice to his alpha, holding him with the highest respect, but after that everyone opted to keep their distance.

Everyone except Ava, that is.

And even if she _did_ want to stay away, he wouldn't let her. If Ava was going to be stubborn and remain at her house, then he was going to make damn sure she was safe.

* * *

Favorite and Follow! And if you have a second, leave a review and tell me what you think!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Ava, refusing to believe that there was a vampire in the house: **There's a very logical explanation for all this.  
**Bella:** Quick, tell me.  
**Ava:** This house is haunted.

.+.

**Paul:** Do you even take anything I say into consideration?  
**Ava:** ...I do.  
**Paul:**  
**Ava:** Well, I try to.  
**Paul:**  
**Ava:** Well, I try to want to.

.+.

**Paul:** Maybe we should hold hands.  
**Ava:**  
**Paul:** ...for safety.  
**Ava, genuinely thinking about her safety:** Shit, you're right.

.+.

**Bella, trying her hardest to get Ava to forgive her**: I made a marshmallow Ava. See? Her arms are crossed because she's mad at marshmallow Bella. You like it?  
**Ava, choking up:** It's fine.


	33. Chapter 33

**Title**: The Best Of Times: Trailing for Hope  
**Chapter 33**: Blood Running Cold, or From The Word Go  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington, permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shape-shifter either. ...No Bella, or Edward-bashing. Follows storyline from "New Moon". _Despite my attempts to write a believable Paul/OC fic, there's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: I apologize for any grammatical errors, as I am genuinely debating cutting my hair.

P.S. If I missed something grammatical or something doesn't make sense, please PM me and let me know!

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! :)

* * *

_One week later. Friday. 7:23 PM. Swan House._

The following week was tense – although that could be considered an understatement.

The Cullens and the Uley pack were in a hesitant truce, trading off when necessary always in pairs of two.

The sole silver lining with being on their unofficial house arrest meant that Ava and Bella saw much more of each other. In the past when Ava would feel like it was too much to handle being inside the house, she would leave and only come back when she was ready; now, it seemed that Bella was taking advantage of the new accessibility.

Ava was glad that Bella was speaking to Jacob, but she wasn't sure if their friendship had been fully repaired. Jacob never really spoke about it and she never wanted to bring it up. The only thing that Ava knew for a fact was that Jacob was made aware of Bella's plans about turning into a vampire. He had taken it well in Ava's opinion, but she chalked it up to the assumption that he thought Bella would change her mind.

She wasn't so sure about that. Although Bella never told her when she planned on turning, Ava knew of the 'act now, think later' attitude that her cousin possessed. Much similar to her own.

When Bella came up to her, apologizing about everything, Ava found herself listening. Apologizing about Italy. About Bella not trying to contact her harder during those silent three days. About Jacob. About her isolation when Edward left her. And about not apologizing, again, sooner.

Truthfully, Ava was mentally _exhausted_.

She knew _she_ wasn't going to apologize; all Ava had done was smack Bella with the facts, and she was fully prepared to drag this out as long as possible. But seeing Bella apologize this time was different. In the past she had just thrown the word 'sorry' around and Ava was positive that the meaning had been dropped behind it.

But now, Bella's voice had wavered, signaling a threatening crack. Her breathing was noticeably rapid, giving the indication that she was near tears.

Ava wasn't expecting an emotional response from her stoic cousin. She wasn't the most affectionate and she certainly wasn't the best with words, always speaking through her actions. In the long time that Ava had known her, she could only recall Bella crying three times.

First, was when Bella was seven; she fell off the roof of Charlie's cruiser and sprained her wrist.

Second, was when she was visiting Ava at her parents' house at the age of eight; she had climbed the bookcase in Ava's room and had fallen backwards, the back of her head hitting the hardwood floor.

The third and final time was when she was fourteen; jumping off the small pier at First Beach with Ava resulted in a matching scar on both their shins.

She disregarded the fact that every time Bella had cried was due to Ava convincing her to do something stupid. Now, with the quickly gathered tears making Bella's eyes blink rapidly to keep them from falling, Ava felt _guilt_. She hadn't let her mind linger on how Bella would have been taking their falling out; she had assumed that she was doing fine since Edward and his family were back.

The silence that settled was heavy and Ava let her cousin's words and apology sink in.

She didn't know what to say to follow up, so Ava looked down, memorizing the edges of her bed spread. "Okay." Was her response, and instead of leaving, Bella sat down beside her.

"Are you…" Bella stopped, collecting her thoughts. She knew that this time her apology had resonated with Ava, but she wasn't sure what else to say. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay," Ava repeated. "I guess. Everything sort of came raining down at once."

Bella blew out a quick, short exhale through her nose. "Yeah."

"I'm sorry."

"You already said that." Ava allowed a small smile to trace her face.

Bella's face mimicked Ava's and she gently nudged her arm with her own. "I _know_. But, for everything else. All the danger, everything."

"Well, you didn't exactly _choose_ to have some crazy vampire chase after you."

"No, I didn't." Bella admitted. "But, still. You shouldn't have been…involved in any of this."

"It's too late for that now," Ava said shortly. She didn't want to have the same conversation with her over and over again, especially now that they were on speaking terms. _Tentative_ speaking terms, but it was something.

Bella nudged her again, this time silently asking Ava to look at her. "We're gonna be okay." With a small promising smile, she continued, "so I don't want you to worry."

Ava felt a sense of comfort when Bella said that. Usually, Ava was the voice of attempted-optimism and reason. But yet there she was, losing hope with every passing day and Bella was the one holding out for some miracle that everything would be fine.

She took an audible deep breath. "I'm not worried."

"Yes, you are." Bella scoffed quietly. "I can tell. We may not have been talking, but since we found out Victoria was back, you've been acting weird – you haven't been sleeping."

Ava opened her mouth, but nothing came out. After a pause, she managed, "it's better."

"You're exhausted."

"Bella, it's fine. _I'm_ fine."

Bella didn't answer. She knew Ava well enough to know that she was putting up a front; she wasn't as bright or as vivid as she once was. She wanted to speak up on it, push more for Ava to open up but Bella knew she was already on thin ice. She was about to stand up to go back to her room, content with their progress, when Ava spoke.

"So, you're really-you're going to do this?" Ava turned towards her fully and watching her expression.

Bella immediately fidgeted under her gaze and broke her stare to look down into her lap. _Well, it was bound to be brought up eventually._ "Yeah, I mean…I know you don't like it. And probably _hate_ me for it, but I've really…_honestly_, have taken the time to think about it."

"But…"

She looked up, desperation etched into her expression. Bella wanted her to get it. Out of everyone, she expected Ava to understand her, she always did. "Ava, I _want_ this life. I _want_ to spend it with Edward."

Ava had attempted to push the thought of Bella turning into a vampire to the back of her mind. She wanted her to remain human. _Desperately_. But if Bella didn't want the same thing, then what was the point in hoping for otherwise?

"You," Ava said slowly, trying to prolong her statement. "_You_ want this life-"

"I do-"

Ava held up a hand, stopping her. She knew what she was about to say was probably going to bite her in the ass, but it needed to be said. "_You_ want this life, and _I_ just want you to be happy."

She continued, "I don't want you to regret doing this. Because once it's done, it's _over_, and there's no turning back."

"I know," Bella insisted. "I know the stakes and I need you to understand. I need you to _try_ and be on my side."

"I am," Ava breathed out, frustration now in her voice. "Bella, I'm always on your side. I've always _been_ on your side."

All she had ever done growing up is _worry_ about her. Bella was the closest thing she had to a sister and Ava would be the first to admit that, yes, she _was_ attached. Not just to her, but Charlie, too. Life in Forks, even.

"I'm always _going_ to be on your side. I just want you to think of everything that's going to be affected," Ava admitted.

Bella bit her lip, reminded of the life she'd be giving up the second she was turned. "...I'm not sure what _exactly_ is going to happen." She furrowed her brows, looking to the side. "But I swear, I'm going to do everything I can to-"

"To what?" Ava cut off. "To…_lessen_ the blow that you're going to live on eternally?"

"Ava…"

"I just…" Ava heaved a breath, shaking her head lightly. "I don't get it. ...Just…I don't know. I guess I need more time."

Bella nodded, and Ava continued, "I mean, you'll have plenty of it anyway." She had on a small reflexive smirk at her quip, and Bella chuckled airily.

"What about you?" Bella resolved, now determined to know about everything that's been going on with her. "What's going on?'

"Nothing." Ava furrowed her brow. "And everything at the same time."

"Sounds complicated."

"I don't know," Ava repeated. She felt a ripple of nostalgia as she sat there with Bella; she never realized the weight within her, and she wanted to spout everything that's been on her mind. "I've been on the reservation and all…"

Bella nodded, silently ushering her to continue.

"With Paul it's, like, I feel weird…" Ava trailed off, feeling her face warm substantially. "When he's not around it's like I want him to be, you know? I don't know, I probably sound crazy."

"Um, yeah. Wow," Bella admitted. She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes slightly to scrutinize Ava. She didn't want to seem like the bad guy, but she certainly wasn't expecting that to come out of her mouth. "But…is that-I mean, are you sure?"

Ava could sense the shift in atmosphere and she frowned. "It's _nothing_ right now. We're friends, I'm just telling you how I've been feeling."

Bella didn't reply. Ava fiddled with the small charm around her neck. She was hoping for advice, maybe, not a life lesson. "Bella. I really don't want to argue anymore."

"Neither do I."

"Then why do you do that?" Ava said sourly. "You act like what you're doing is safer and better than what I am. And it's the same thing, we're on the same _sinking_ boat."

"I'm…" Bella sighed heavily. "I'm sorry. I don't mean it, I just want you to be okay."

"I'm fine."

"You always say that." Bella rolled her eyes discreetly before giving her the softest smile she could muster. "If you're happy, I'm happy." She repeated Ava's words from earlier and Ava couldn't help the unintentional smile from spreading across her face.

* * *

_Two days later. Sunday. 6:12 PM. Swan House._

"Council meeting sounds so…_uppity_." Ava frowned down at her textbook. The words seemed to be morphing in one big, annoying blur. "A _bonfire_ on the other hand, sounds like I'm not intruding in on some ritual."

Paul rolled his eyes from over her shoulder. She was making this way more difficult than it had to be. "It's not a _ritual_."

He had been nearly glued to her side, having to go through the window to keep Charlie from getting too annoyed at his constant presence in the house. He wasn't going to risk anything else happening to her. The only times he really left her alone was when he was scheduled for a guard shift, when he was in school, or when she shoved him out of her window for him to get some sleep.

"But it _is_ a council meeting," Ava replied pointedly, propping her elbow onto her desk and resting her head atop her hand lazily. "I'd rather not."

He blew out a frustrated breath and straightened up. "Come on, you like the stories."

"When they're not the _real_ stories," Ava corrected. "Like the fake ones they tell at _actual_ bonfires."

_God, this sucked. She hated studying. Why even bother-?_

Paul groaned loudly in annoyance. "They're not fake. They're just not the stories told at council meetings."

"So, _sacred_?" Ava deadpanned, whirling her desk chair around. "That makes me not want to go even more."

"Emily'll be there," he tried.

"_Emily_," Ava enunciated slowly. "Is part of the tribe. _I'm_ not."

"Ava-"

"Not going," she cut off immediately, turning back around. "So, don't even try."

There was a stretched silence and Ava was starting to think that he had gone back out her window. Suddenly, a sharp sigh of irritation rang through; _yup, still here._

"_Why_. _Why_ are you being so difficult."

"How am I being difficult?" She asked, slightly offended, countering with a question of her own, "_why_ do you want me to go so badly?" She angled her head to the side to look at him. "I'm fine here, nothing will happen."

"I'm trying to spend time with my _friend_," he admitted slowly, crossing his arms protectively across his chest when he was finished speaking.

At that, Ava felt a little bad. She knew, obviously, what he meant by friend, '_I'm trying to spend time with the person I _imprinted_ on'_. She shifted uncomfortably, trying to focus back on her textbook; unfortunately, tidbits of turning him down in favor of spending time with others in the past crossed her mind and she was beginning to feel the guilt.

She spun her chair around slowly, avoiding his eyes and focusing on the wall behind him. "It's going to be weird. I'm going to, like, push myself into the-"

"Look," Paul interrupted, running a hand down his face. "It's not like some-it includes the…people." At her blank expression, he continued, "that are imprinted on, I mean. Jared'll be there with Kim, and Emily…"

She tried meeting his eyes, but like her's had been a second earlier, he was staring intently at something else.

"Are you sure?" She asked carefully. She didn't put it past him to say that Kim and Emily were going to be there to convince her.

He nodded, finally catching her gaze. After a small silence, he spoke, "_and_, it'll make me feel better knowing you're nearby. Or, I could stay. Your choice."

She let out a breathless chuckle at his statement. "So, either go to the council thing with _you_, or stay here with _you_? Those are my options?"

"I don't make the rules."

* * *

_7:23 PM. Quileute Tribal Council._

Seth snatched another burger discreetly and hid it beside his chair.

_That's the third one,_ Ava noted, raising an inquisitive brow. "Think you have enough, Seth?"

He looked up, startled that someone had noticed his actions and smiled sheepishly. "I'm saving some for Jacob, he's getting here soon."

Ava nodded amusedly and zipped her lips together in secrecy, turning back towards Paul on her other side. "Another one?"

"I'm hungry," he said through a mouthful. "Charlie won't feed me."

"He won't feed you because you go through my window." Ava rolled her eyes. "He doesn't even know you're there."

Earlier before she left, she asked her uncle if it would be alright if she went out for a while. He agreed, only asking who she'd be with.

_"We're just hanging out." I opted against mentioning it was a council meeting; that would just end up warranting more questions._

_Wracking my brain, I tried thinking of a few people that would most likely be there. "Emily, Sam... Seth...Jacob, probably." I ticked off. "Kim, Jared...um, Paul."_

_He had been slowly nodding his head until I said Paul's name; turning his head to face me fully, Charlie began rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Patrick, huh."_

_I quickly clasped my hands behind my back and rocked on my heels. "Yup."_

_He hummed with minuscule enthusiasm before removing his hand from his chin and holding it out in acceptance. "...Alright, then. Be safe and have fun."_

"So," Paul continued, pointedly taking another bite. "Hungry."

"You're like a vacuum cleaner." Ava snorted. "Save some for everyone else."

He made indistinct mumbles through the food and offered her the remainder of his burger. She leaned back slightly, raising a brow. "_Not _me."

Shrugging, he shoveled the rest into his mouth, only to move and prepare another while still chewing. Mostly everyone who Ava suspected would be there was present, save for Jacob.

Jared and Kim were huddled across from her, and Emily and Sam were seated on the opposite side of Seth. Most surprisingly, Leah Clearwater was there too; scowling down at her lap and her mother was beside her, rubbing her arm comfortingly.

Just as Ava was scanning the remainder of the group, she saw Jacob in the distance with Bella. She was confused but brushed it off, knowing that Edward had handed Bella off to Jacob for the day while he hunted.

Seth took notice as well because he shot up immediately and ran over to the pair, talking animatedly. Once they were seated, Bella gave Ava a look conveying her nervousness and Ava gave her a smile back, waving slightly.

Bella was anxious sitting there; she wanted to go over and sit with her cousin, at least then she'd be able to talk about it. Jacob had just brushed off her worries and dragged her into the group. She felt incredibly intrusive and she could tell that everyone was staring at her when she neared.

"Time to begin," Billy Black started, eyeing the group.

Paul wasted no time in getting unapologetically comfortable. He laid out across the entirety of the log that him and Ava were seated on, folding his arms behind his head and lazily plopping it onto her lap. Ava raised an eyebrow and looked down at him. "_Move_."

"No," he said smugly; there wasn't a chance in hell he was going to pass up an opportunity to get closer. He yearned to get as close as Emily and Sam, or Jared and Kim, but he'd take what he could get away with.

Ava crossed her arms and gave him an exasperated look, ignoring the titters around the fire as everyone else got comfortable; no one seemed to have paid much mind to their current position.

"Move it or lose it." She tried sounding harsh, but it only came out as a half-hearted request and coupled with her smile, she didn't sound serious in the least. She could feel her cheeks beginning to warm and she hoped that it was dark enough to mask them.

Paul disregarded her embarrassment and rolled his eyes, only replying smartly, "you're not as intimidating as you think you are."

Ava scoffed quietly to not disturb Billy who was beginning the first story. "I am _too_," she hissed, only receiving a dry look in response. Wrinkling her nose in indignation, she adjusted her seat and moved her attention to Billy.

Throughout the story, Ava was on the edge of her seat. There was no question if these tales were more interesting than the one's she heard in the past, because they _were_. She was hypnotized with Billy's every word.

To Bella, it was evident that Billy was singling her out; she could feel the intense stare that he was drilling into her. Everyone else took notice as well and were slowly shifting away from her as the story went on, almost unconsciously. Even Jacob wasn't paying her much mind for a change, glaring petulantly at Paul and Ava from across the fire. Once the story finished in a soft whirl, Billy broke the stare that himself and Bella were in and began a new one.

Paul hadn't moved the whole time, only turning his head in the direction of Billy and very nearly falling asleep. In his opinion, it wasn't really his fault; what else could be expected when he was so inconceivably content.

Ava jolted a knee up, causing his eyes to snap open. Luckily, he had half-a-mind to stay quiet. "_What the f-"_

"Don't fall asleep," she murmured, already looking back at Billy. "You wanted me to come, _so _you _actually_ have to stay awake."

He grumbled under his breath and heaved a large sigh. "_Fine_."

Billy recounted a few more before finishing up. Everyone remained seated, eating and talking amongst themselves.

Seth was fending off Embry, who was trying to swipe the burger in his hands; Leah and her mother were still in the same spot, talking quietly; Jared was hanging off Kim while she poked the fire with a stick; Quil III – more popularly known on the reservation as 'Old Quil' – Billy, and Quil were speaking; Sam and Emily were still huddled together; and Jacob and Bella were whispering, Bella's body language screaming that she was incredibly uneasy.

As Ava was debating to go over and alleviate some of her nervous tension, she was interrupted. "You can say I was right, now," Paul chimed innocently. Ava pursed her lips and broke her stare at Bella but avoided looking down at his surely smug expression.

"Nope."

He lifted his head and plopped it back down to garner her full attention. Ava finally angled her head towards him and hoped that her face conveyed annoyance. Though, she doubted it, staring down at him, his face flickering with the fire in front of them. "What?"

"They're way better, right?" He continued, raising his eyebrows enticingly. "You _have_ to admit it."

Ava scoffed. "No way I'm admitting anything to you."

Paul began lifting his head, finally preparing to get off her lap when Ava noticed that there were two missing faces.

"Where are Brady and Collin?"

He blew out an annoyed breath and dropped his head back down, a sulky frown on his face. "_What_ is your obsession with the runts?"

Pursing her lips at his response, Ava shifted pointedly to get his head off. He didn't budge and instead stared at her expectantly.

"I'm just _curious_," Ava said finally.

He continued staring at her, scrutinizing her expression. Ava bit the inside of her cheek to try and prevent her nerves from showing and he finally sighed out, "Sam said they'll come to the next one. They're young."

"Shouldn't they learn about all this stuff?"

"They already know what's important," he said absently. "They know about the leeches. And they know we get _rid_ of leeches." As he spoke, he glanced inadvertently at Bella off to the side. Once he locked eyes back on Ava, he realized his mistake and heaved his head off her lap. After straightening off fully, he gave her a sheepish smile. "...Sorry."

Ava ignored the cool air that now settled around her and shifted awkwardly at being reminded, yet again, of Bella's decision. She smiled tightly. "It's okay."

Paul stood up, holding out a hand. "I should get you home."

Despite knowing how this looked, she really didn't care. Eventually Ava _was_ going to tell him how she felt, but she enjoyed the easy friendship that they had.

In all honesty, as of late, she was beginning to regret the whole 'friendship' thing. _She_ was the one that had established their relationship, which meant that _she_ was going to have to be the one to make any sort of move.

All this because she had begrudgingly developed a_ stupid _little crush. In the beginning, she hoped that it was something that would pass over after a few days, but now she wasn't so sure.

Lifting herself from her seat, she grabbed his hand weakly. "I'm the one that's driving. Wouldn't that mean I'm getting _myself_ home."

"Shut up." He rolled his eyes and tugged her up. Everyone around the fire fastened their eyes at the pair that were very obviously leaving for the night.

"So soon?" Billy asked. "Got your story fix, huh?"

"You know me, Billy," Ava managed out, a smile spreading across her face. "But I don't want to get home too late."

"Maybe you should leave too then, Bella," Jared spoke unheedingly, unaware of the way his suggestion sounded. Kim smacked his arm and he widened his eyes. "What did I say?"

"That was rude," Emily said carefully from across the fire, eyeing Bella.

Jared sputtered out a few words before throwing his hands up, frustrated. "That's not what I meant!"

"Alright," Sam started, quieting down the wolf. "We should _all_ get going. It is getting late."

"Let's just go to Em's," Seth suggested, backed up by Quil and Embry nodding their heads enthusiastically.

Sam raised a brow and shot them down immediately. "No way. You free-loaders are there every day. You're all going home."

Ava snorted at their immediate response, complaining and groaning about Sam's final decision.

"I'll see you at the house?" Ava asked Bella quietly when she passed by.

"We'll be there, Ave," Jacob assured, looking at her before locking eyes with Paul. "Get her home already, it's late."

"That's what I was doing," Paul snapped under his breath.

"_Okay_." Ava pressed her body into Paul's pushing him away from the pair. "I'll see you home, okay?"

Bella nodded. "Tell dad not to wait up."

"You know he will." Ava rolled her eyes, breaking her stare and waving a quick goodbye to everyone who were chorusing goodbyes.

* * *

Favorite and Follow! And if you have a second, leave a review and tell me what you think! Also, I get so much satisfaction from people saying they love the quotes haha I love them too.

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Everyone**: Hey...are you two dating?  
**Paul, his head literally in Ava's lap**: What would give you that impression?

.+.

**Seth: **Hey, do you think I can fit fifteen marshmallows into my mouth?  
**Leah:** You're a hazard to society.  
**Paul**: And a coward. Do twenty.

.+.

_[Embry, Quil, and Seth trying to contact spirits]  
_**  
Embry:** If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.  
**Seth:** You know that'll never-  
**Paul, through a walkie-talkie they told Seth was a spirit box:** *clap clap*  
**Seth, on the verge of tears:** _SAM-_

.+.

**Paul:** How do I get Ava to like me?  
**Sam:** Tell her about yourself.  
_[later]  
_**Paul:** I can eat a burger in two bites, want to see?

.+.

**Paul:** WHO ATE MY FOOD?  
**Paul:** I'm gonna fucking mur-  
**Ava, stopping mid-chew:** I did.  
**Paul:** ...make. I'm going to _make_ you another one because you haven't been eating enough.

.+.

**Jacob**: Seth is a good kid. I'm kind of like a mentor.  
**Seth**: *does the fortnite dance*  
**Jacob**: I lied, I don't know this boy.

.+.

**Edward**: So, why don't you lie down, relax and watch the stars?  
**Bella**: It's 2 in the afternoon! There are no stars.  
**Edward**: Only if you're looking with your eyes.  
**Bella**: What the hell does that _mean_, Edward!?

.+.

**Ava**: You have no idea what I'm capable of!  
**Paul**: Don't take it personally, but I feel like I'm being threatened by a cupcake.

.+.

**Bella**: Are we friends again?  
**Ava**: ...No.  
**Bella:**  
**Ava:**  
**Bella:**  
**Ava**: We're sisters.  
**Bella**: That was terrifying, don't pause like that!


	34. Chapter 34

**Title**: The Best Of Times: Trailing for Hope  
**Chapter 34**: Faces On Milk Cartons, or Thinning Sanity  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington, permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shape-shifter either. ...No Bella, or Edward-bashing. Follows storyline from "New Moon". _Despite my attempts to write a believable Paul/OC fic, there's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: I apologize for any grammatical errors, as classes pick up tomorrow and I am not mentally prepared to handle that kind of stress again. Also, this chapter is _preeettyy_ short.

P.S. If I missed something grammatical or something doesn't make sense, please PM me and let me know!

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed! :)

* * *

_Two days later. Tuesday. 5:43 PM. Swan House_

After days passed with no new information about the vampire, Ava was beginning to get antsy. She pestered Bella about it constantly and she could tell that she was beginning to get annoyed.

It's not like Ava could help it. Paul and Jake and the lot of the Uley Pack hadn't said anything to her other than everything was going to be fine. But if that were the case, then why hadn't they gotten them yet?

Ava moved her leg up and down under the table, hitting the bottom and jostling it. Paul frowned, raising a brow at her. "You need to calm down."

Instantly, her leg came to an abrupt stop and she glared, snapping a him, "sorry for not being calmer about being hunted down by a _vampire_."

"You're not being hunted down." He rolled his eyes; lately, it had been the same conversation with her. In an attempt of comfort, he continued, "it's not like the leech will get within 100 miles of your house."

"Yeah, well, I'm sure no one thought a vampire would break in here in the first place," Ava said snarkily, crossing her arms. She saw his face darken and he frowned heavily.

"Which is why you should have listened to me and stayed at Emily's, instead of being stubborn-"

"It's not like you would have left me alone, anyway," she bit back, cutting him off. She knew her anger was misplaced; if anything, she didn't really have a _reason_ to be angry, but she needed to shove her emotions somewhere.

He cleverly decided against answering, not taking her response very seriously. As more time passed with no word, Ava was slowly becoming more and more snappish with everyone.

"Sorry," she mumbled after a brief pause. Even though she was sleeping a little better – the knowledge that the house was guarded putting her at slight ease – Ava was still filled with unrest. How Bella was prone to every life-threatening situation, she had no idea.

Paul's face clearly showed that he held no contempt towards her and Ava sighed heavily.

She ran the pad of her finger on the edge of the newspaper. "Have you seen this?" She said blankly in an effort to change the subject, gesturing to the newspaper left on the table: **ONGOING TERROR IN SEATTLE: MURDERER OR FLUKE? **

"There's another murder in Seattle."

Paul leaned over, his eyes tracing over lazily. "Damn."

"It's weird, right?" Ava asked, picking it up and furrowing her brows. "All the missing people and murders…"

"Sounds like Seattle to me." He shrugged.

"Seattle doesn't have mass murders and kidnappings every other day," Ava deadpanned. "It's _weird_."

"_Also_, sounds like you're overthinking," he mentioned casually.

"I'm not crazy," she mumbled, letting the paper fall back onto the table.

She changed the subject again after a small lull. "Who's guarding?"

"Cullens."

Giving him a dry look, Ava pursed your lips. "I said, _who_."

"I don't know their fucking names," he said bluntly before adding, "but Call and Jared are next."

Leaning her head back, she stared at the ceiling. "...I'm going to _die_."

Paul's eyes narrowed instantly. "_No_, you're not. You're going to be fine."

She lowered her head and stared at him, the agitation clear on her face. "Even _if_ this vampire is caught, we still have Victoria to worry about." Just thinking about it caused herself to tense. "It's one thing after another."

"The _leeches_ have the redhead to worry about," he corrected. "She's after your cousin, not you. Since she's practically their property. You'll be fine."

"That isn't helping," Ava snapped, his nonchalant response disappointing her; she hated the thought of Bella still being hunted down. "And she's _not_ their property."

With a final comment, she huffed, "they aren't even bad. You're _working_ together."

Paul wanted to roll his eyes at her weak rebuttal, but he held himself back from doing so; it would more than likely just get her even more pissed off. He knew that the leech-lover was probably going to turn into a leech _herself, _and even Sam had up and accepted it. The single person that was in a weird, back-and-forth denial was Jacob.

"The only reason we're doing this stupid truce is to keep _you_ out of trouble," he commented off-handedly, shooting her a dull stare before continuing, "trust me, it isn't because we enjoy their company."

With a loud scoff, Ava leaned back on her chair and crossed her arms. "Keep _me_ out of trouble? I didn't even do anything."

"Right," he muttered bitterly. "It's your stupid-"

"Hey," Ava interrupted, already knowing where his statement was leading. "It's not like she asked for it."

This time, he _did_ roll his eyes. "She's _with_ them."

Ava couldn't contest that detail and she stayed quiet, sulking silently.

* * *

_The next day. Wednesday. 6:05 PM. Swan House._

"Are you kidding me?" Ava hissed, keeping a grip on Bella's arm.

Bella tried shoving out of her tight grasp but gave up after a few failed attempts. With a trying look at Ava, she replied, "no, I'm not. That's what they said. They need to figure something out before the Volturi get involved."

"I don't even know what that _means_," Ava said harshly, her patience splintering down.

After a pause where the two stared each other down, Ava spoke up, "…so, are we just going to pretend that this is totally normal?" She continued, giving her an exasperated look.

Ava had gotten home from school hours ago and waited impatiently for Edward to drop Bella off after she had gone to his house. She was desperate to ask about the progress on tracking Victoria and the mystery vampire. As soon as she spotted her through the window, she pounced, going downstairs in record time and nearly giving Charlie a heart attack after flying past him.

It didn't take long before Bella broke and spoke about some...newborn vampire army being formed.

And the unsolved cases in Seattle being a direct effect.

Bella faltered in her response, beginning to move towards the front door after Ava had prevented her. "It...isn't. It's _not_ normal, but we have to get through it."

"Do you think Victoria is involved?" Ava blurted out nervously, following her inside. She lowered her voice to continue, "what are the odds of some..._army_ being formed and her not having to do anything with it?"

"That's what they were thinking too," Bella answered absently, weaving her way through the house. When she first learnt about the murders and disappearances in Seattle, the thought that the culprit being vampires hadn't crossed her mind.

Ava blew out a frustrated breath; Bella was _way_ too calm about this. "How does it not concern you that there's a newborn-newborn-" She cut herself off when she entered the kitchen and saw Charlie sitting at the table. "...Thing."

Charlie, upon catching that tidbit, looked up with a puzzled look on his face. "What are you girls going on about?"

"Baby class." Ava recovered quickly. "Um. Child development. Jessica has to take a fake baby and keep it happy for a week. She had it at lunch today and it just...kept on, you know, _crying_."

That was the best she could come up with on the spot and she almost winced at how stupid the cover-up sounded. "...I'm just worried about her grade is all. You know she's valedictorian?"

"Is she?" Charlie said blankly, already having lost interest and looking over the files scattered around the table.

"Bella…" Ava trailed off quietly, trying to nudge her towards the stairs to continue talking.

"It's okay." Bella smiled tightly. "She'll finish the assignment, and everything will be back to normal. No babies." With that final promise, she silently told her that the conversation was over, and Ava scowled.

"_Fine_." She breathed out, turning on her heel and stalking towards the stairs, grumbling. "But I hope she doesn't come crying to me when she fails the class."

* * *

_Two days later. Friday. 7:23 PM. Swan House_

"It won't _kill_ you."

Paul shook his head firmly. "No. I'm not doing that."

"But-"

"No."

"You're not-"

"No."

"It's fair." Ava frowned, rushing out her defense. "I came to your council thing and now you come to Alice's graduation party."

"_No._"

It had been the same back and forth for the past ten minutes. Unfortunately, they were both stubborn as hell and neither refused to back down in the slightest. Ava opted against telling him about the whole army ordeal...it's not like they were going to attack or anything, and there was no use in worrying him more than he already was; he, along with the rest of his pack, were running themselves ragged and the last thing Ava wanted was to make it worse for them.

Ava pressed her mouth into a thin line. "Why?"

"_Why_." He scoffed disbelieving. "_Why_ would I consider going anywhere near one of them?"

Frowning, she crossed her arms. "Because _I'm_ also graduating, and you've already said you aren't going to the graduation. Alice invited _me_ and now I'm inviting _you_."

"And _I'm_ saying _no_..." He mimicked her sharp tone. "...Way in _hell_. I'm not going anywhere near them if I can help it."

"Why," Ava asked again, inadvertently raising her voice to a whine. "Just go for, like, five minutes to say hi and then you can leave."

"No."

"Give me _one_ good reason."

"They smell," he insisted, wrinkling his nose. "It's bad enough you go to school with them and I have to deal with the stench clinging to you at Emily's. And the lee-..._Bella's_ little bloodsucker being here all the fucking time."

"You're here too. And they'd say the same thing about _you_," Ava shot back petulantly, exasperated with his attitude. She didn't see anything wrong with her request; it's not like she was asking him to become best friends with Emmett.

"I'm _not_ going," he repeated. "And I'm _not_ changing my mind."

Narrowing her eyes, she tried once more, "Jake is going. Bella's inviting him today." After a few seconds she added, "all I'm asking for is for you to think about it, not say no the minute I ask."

"_Fine_," he placated, keeping a taunting tone to his voice. "I'll think about it." As an afterthought, he added seriously, "but don't be disappointed when I don't go."

Ava stayed quiet for a few minutes, hoping he'd break and go to the stupid graduation party with her instead of agreeing to pretend to think about it.

Just as she was positive he was going to relieve the silence, they heard a commotion outside. Moving across the room, she lifted her window and stuck her head out to hear better; Ava didn't have access to see the front of the house where the noise was coming from, but she immediately recognized Jacob and Edward's voices. Wondering where Bella was, Ava opened her bedroom door only managing a step before feeling the familiar heat directly behind her.

"What are you doing?" She hissed, turning her head to the side, her eyes darting downstairs to make sure that Charlie wasn't close before turning herself to fully scowl at him. "You climbed through my window, you're not even supposed to be here."

"Jacob is here," he said dryly. She raised an eyebrow and waited for him to continue. "...And?" She said after his prolonged silence.

"_Why_ is he here?"

"He was with Bella earlier." Ava rolled her eyes at his sour expression. "How am I supposed to know."

As he was going to respond, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye and in a fit of frantic panic, she shoved him with as much force as she could muster. Under normal circumstances this would've done virtually nothing, but catching him off guard successfully startled him enough to stumble back a step, now hidden behind her doorframe.

"Ava, what are you doing?"

"Nothing!" Ava said quickly, whirling to look down at Charlie who was staring at her curiously. "I...thought I heard something."

"Are you sure?" Charlie pressed, his niece's strange expression unnerving him.

"Yup, yeah." Ava side-stepped towards her room slowly, making sure to keep her eyes locked on his. "Fine. Um, I think there's something going on outside, so…"

Charlie glanced in the direction of the front door, his ears picking up the muffled racket. "Yeah, what's-" He looked back up but only caught Ava's door slamming shut.

"_Teenagers_," he mumbled, shaking his head and heading towards the front door.

* * *

Favorite and Follow! And if you have a second, leave a review and tell me what you think!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Ava:** What I'm trying to say is...what if we went to the party not as friends?  
**Paul, gasping: **You mean...as enemies?  
**Ava:  
****Ava:** I don't even get why I feel the way I feel about you.

.+.

**Jacob**: When it comes to Bella, Ava has no survival or self-preservation instincts.  
**Paul**: That can't be true.  
**Jacob**: Watch this.  
**Jacob**: Hey, Ava, Bella fell outside and scraped her knee.  
**Ava**: *jumps out of a three-story window*

.+.

**Ava, climbing into the dryer:** disgusted, I am revolted, I dedicate my entire life to our lord and savior jesus christ, and this is the thanks I get.

.+.

**Bella:** Oh worm?  
**Ava:** Wig.  
**Bella:** Crops? Watered.  
**Ava: **We stan!  
**Charlie, crying:** What are you guys saying?

.+.

**Bella:** Is ten a lot?  
**Charlie:** Depends on the context.  
**Charlie:** Dollars? No. Missing people? Yes.

.+.

**Ava**: Someone will die.  
**Paul**: Of fun!

.+.

**Uley Pack**: Yeah. The Cullens very, very unfairly accused us of poisoning them.  
**Emily**: You got framed?  
**Uley Pack**: No, we poisoned the shit out of them, but they didn't have any proof.


	35. Chapter 35

**Title**: The Best Of Times: Trailing for Hope  
**Chapter 35**: Distant Calls, or Vitamin C  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington, permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shape-shifter either. ...No Bella, or Edward-bashing. Follows storyline from "New Moon". _Despite my attempts to write a believable Paul/OC fic, there's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: I apologize for any grammatical errors, as it's currently 1:18 AM and I'm a tired girl. Also, it's now 10:50 AM the day after, I just got home from work, i have homework for class, and I thought I posted this chapter last night ahahahaah

P.S. If I missed something grammatical or something doesn't make sense, please PM me and let me know!

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, followed, and favorited! :)

* * *

_The next day. Saturday. 10:01 AM. Swan House._

Learning that Bella had sprained her wrist the night before, Ava thought she had a run-in with a vampire and immediately panicked. She tried her hardest to keep her expression neutral, clenching her hands into fists and pressing crescent-shaped indentations in her palm.

After Charlie continued, explaining that Bella had punched Jake in the face, Ava actually snorted in amusement.

_Then,_ when he said that Bella had apparently punched Jake when he _kissed_ her...she was shocked.

Ava knew that with Paul's sensitive hearing, he was able to catch everything that was being discussed. So, when Charlie began asking if Paul had pulled any stunts like that she quickly shot him down and gave some excuse to go back up to her room.

What was she supposed to say?

_"__Actually, he's in my room now. Yeah, he climbed through my window, but don't worry! He's done it so many times that he's basically a pro since there's a horde of vampires trying to get to Bella. Oh, and there's a constant watch on our house by werewolves and vampires alike, despite them being mortal enemies, so it's fine."_

She somehow managed to shove Paul out of her window after he mentioned that it was his turn to watch the house; immediately, she felt the onslaught of a headache. There was way too much going on and with Jacob telling Bella that he was in love with the girl, Ava cursed his _crap_ timing.

He couldn't have told her some other time? When there wasn't a constant threat to Bella's life and, by association, her's as well? And _maybe_, try not to kiss her when he knows she's in love with Edward?

Once Bella arrived home later that night after Carlisle had wrapped her wrist, she didn't want to talk about the awkward topic. She was shocked that Jacob would have tried to pull a stunt like that; after some thought as to why, she came to the conclusion that it was some sort of attempt to keep her from turning. This morning, Ava had cornered her and demanded her to explain what _hell_ had happened.

Bella quickly explained that after she had invited Jake to the graduation party, he decided to convince her that he was a better match for her than Edward. Then, he just leaned in and planted one on her. The commotion outside the night before must have been Edward and Jacob nearly getting into a fight before Charlie was forced to intervene.

"Well...at least now you both know for sure," Ava mumbled out, barely concealed bitterness in her voice. She was trying to find the silver lining in this predicament, but she was coming up short. The hope she had for Jacob to forget about Bella had quickly dwindled away in the short time Bella had explained everything.

Bella had expressed her concern about Jacob's affections numerous times in the past, but she claimed that she was never completely sure about what exactly he felt. Ava nearly slapped her palm on her forehead every time she said that. _It was _so_ obvious. Bella was just dense. Or in denial._

"You knew…" Bella said, more as a statement of fact than a question. Ava nodded and shrugged slightly, reminded of Jacob's heartbroken pleads when Bella left with Alice for Italy. "I mean, _yeah_. I didn't see it at first, I didn't see it while-when they were gone. But afterwards, it was obvious he was…you know. Of course, of _all_ the times he could've picked, he sure picked the worst."

"What am I supposed to do?" Bella mumbled. "What does he _expect_ me to do?"

Opening her mouth, Ava was hoping for some sort of advice, but she was at a loss. "I don't know, Bella. I really don't. Didn't you talk to him about it before?" She straightened up and narrowed her eyes slightly at the fidgeting dark-haired woman. After a small pause, Bella offered a shrug.

"He knows," Bella insisted. "He even _said_ he knows that it's always going to be Edward, he just doesn't believe me."

Ava felt a frustration bubble in her chest. Bella and Jacob were so damn _complicated_. She had half-a-mind to just lock them in a closet until everything was fixed between them.

Bella remained silent and after a few seconds she spoke, wanting to change the subject to _anything_ else. "Weren't you going to ask Paul about Alice's party?" She left out the desired malice, knowing it would only lead to Ava being upset at their mutual distaste. Bella hadn't spent time with anyone in the Uley pack, save for Jacob, and that's how she would prefer it to stay.

Ava's mood soured anyway, being reminded of his immediate refusal. There was a truce between the Cullens and the pack, and Ava couldn't imagine _that_ happening again anytime soon. She knew there wouldn't be a better time than to – well, Ava wasn't really sure what she was aiming at by inviting Paul to the party, but she did know she wanted him there, even if it _was_ for five minutes.

Knitting her eyebrows in annoyance, she replied, "I did. And he said, '_no way in hell'_."

Bella smiled tightly. "You can't be too disappointed. I mean, what were you expecting?"

"A quick acceptance," Ava replied, her voice dripping with ire. "Or at least a convincing argument. All he said was 'no' and that was that."

"He's here a lot, isn't he?" Bella asked suddenly.

Ava shrugged. "Kind of. He says that he doubts anyone can do their job in guarding the house. _Apparently_, if you want a job done right, you have to do it yourself."

"Yeah…Edward says he smells him here all the time," Bella chuckled softly.

She snorted in amusement, recalling Paul's snappy attitude about the scent that was settled in the house because of Edward. "Tell him the feeling's mutual. Paul is such a drama queen."

* * *

_The next day. Sunday. 2:34 PM. Swan House._

Once Ava walked downstairs and crept into the kitchen, she regretted leaving her room. Charlie was on the phone and by the conversation, Ava could easily guess exactly who he was talking to.

"She's here right now, actually, why don't I pass you?" He asked, holding out the phone a second later without waiting for a response from the other end. With a final look that screamed that she wasn't going to get out of this, Ava took the phone.

"Hello?"

"Ava, honey!" Her mother's nearly melodic voice swept into her ear.

"Hi, mom," Ava replied, smiling despite trying her hardest not to; her mother's cheery demeanor was beginning to raise her spirits slightly. Ava always felt a sense of contentment when they _did_ want to speak to her; their estranged relationship wasn't something that she _had_ ever or _would_ ever chose, it was just the way things played out.

"How are you? What are you doing?"

"I'm good," Ava said, leaning against the wall where the phone was hooked up on. Charlie gave her a thumbs up, exiting the room to give them some privacy. "I'm not doing much of anything, though. Finals are this week."

"Shouldn't you be studying then?" Ava could feel the signature eyebrow raise through the phone and the scolding tone to her mother's voice didn't go unnoticed.

"I have," Ava insisted. "For, like, two weeks."

"You'll send me the scores?"

Ava ignored the feeling of her heart dipping into her chest and sucked her bottom lip roughly before answering, "yes, mom, I will."

"Good, alright." There was a small pause before her mother spoke again, "I'm sorry about graduation."

"It's okay," Ava immediately said, nodding her head obediently despite not being able to see her. "I get it. You have work."

"Has your father said anything?"

"No." Ava lowered her face and twisted the stray thread on her long-sleeve tightly. "He hasn't mentioned it, so I don't think he's coming. He'll probably call the day-of."

"Figures." Selene blew a heavy breath into the phone. "Alright, sweetie. I have to go, okay?"

"Yeah," Ava smiled tightly. "I'll talk to you another time."

"Kick ass on your exams." Was the final thing she said before the line went dead. Ava stayed with the phone pressed against her ear for a few seconds, the dial tone snapping her out of her trance.

"How'd it go?" Charlie rounded the corner carefully, eyeing Ava as she hung up the phone.

"Fine." Ava shrugged, continuing, "apologized again."

Charlie furrowed his brow gruffly. Selene had told Ava that she wasn't going to be able to attend her graduation a few days prior. Something about work and scheduling. Ava's father, though, hadn't breathed a single word about it; he never really called Charlie directly, opting to go directly to Ava. Though, Charlie was sure that his calls were more than likely far and few between.

"It's alright, kid." He came closer to ruffle her hair, successfully spreading a small smile onto her blank face.

* * *

_Four days later. Thursday. 12:25 PM. Forks High School._

"Look." Eric raised his hands in defense and glanced at everyone sitting around him. "All I'm _saying,_ is if Berty is going to fail anyone it's going to be me. That final _sucked_."

"You're not going to fail," Angela placated her overdramatic boyfriend. "We studied, it's fine."

Jessica raised a sardonic brow. "You sure '_studying'_ is what went on?"

"Jessica!" Angela exclaimed, ignoring Mike's snickers and pressing a cool palm onto her warming cheeks.

She continued sputtering out a defense and Jessica waved her off, adding sarcastically, "calm down, Angela. I know you're a bible thumper."

There was a second of silence before Jessica's searing tone was registered. "Jess." Ava frowned, nudging the dark-haired girl, chastising. "Chill out."

"Yeah," Mike added, the awkward tension settling heavily. "Are you okay?'

The girl in question shut her eyes and took in a deep breath. Snapping them open, she turned towards Angela, an apologetic look in her eyes. "…I'm sorry. This stupid speech is getting to me," Jessica said finally, fidgeting with her fingers obsessively.

"My mom is freaking out," Jessica continued, darting her eyes across the cafeteria table. "She keeps trying to help."

"Dude, it's going to rock," Eric insisted helpfully.

Despite Jessica's sour attitude, Angela smiled sweetly. "You don't need to worry. We've gone over it a million times. It's perfect."

"And in a while, you won't have to worry about it anymore." Ava offered. "Graduation is only a few days away."

Before Jessica could respond, the Cullens, with Bella in tow, arrived and sat down. There was another brief pause before Alice jumped into party arrangements and decorations. Luckily with Jessica, just a mention of a party is enough to have her hang on her every word.

"Are you sure throwing a party _now_ is a good idea?" Ava asked, raising a brow at Alice, referring to the current danger that was surrounding them. No one else noticed the tone that Ava had used other than the Cullens and Bella, and they all seemed to be thinking the same thing.

"Um, what?" Jessica snapped, leaning forward insistently. "Why would you say that?! Of course they're still throwing the party. …Right?" She turned her attention to Alice, an underlying pleading tone to her voice.

"I insist." Alice smiled brightly at Jessica before turning to wink at Ava. "I think we _all_ need it."

* * *

_The next day. Friday. 5:34 PM. Swan House._

Pressing the phone against her ear lazily, Ava shut her eyes and willed herself to stay awake. After the finals-filled week she had, she was exhausted. And truthfully, Jessica was _not_ making things easier.

"It sucks, doesn't it?!" Jessica wailed on the other line. Ava shot the phone away from her ear, save her eardrums from bursting from her deafening shrieks.

"It's great," Ava sighed heavily into the phone.

Casting a glance at Paul who was laid across her bed, his arms crossed behind his head, he looked bored beyond recognition. Ava couldn't blame him. She'd been on the phone for over an hour; it felt like as soon as Jessica got back from school, she immediately called Ava to hear her speech over.

"You're bored," Jessica crackled over the phone, a dry tone to her voice.

"Well," Ava breathed in, shrugging despite Jessica not being able to see her. "I've heard your speech over six times, Jess. _Not_ counting the amount of times I heard it _before_ today."

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Paul amble up from her bed, stretching his arms above his head.

"It has to be perfect!"

"It is," Ava insisted helplessly.

Paul rubbed his eyes, tired of hearing the girl's muffled, annoying voice for the past hour over the phone; he wasn't even embarrassed to admit that it was Ava's lack of attention that was also causing his petulance.

"Let me go over it again and-"

That was when he snapped.

He can't. He _can't_ hear this stupid conversation over again or he might actually break Ava's phone. Which is exactly what he tried to do. Reaching over, though lessening his speed on the off chance that he could hurt her, he tried swiping the phone from Ava's grasp. She easily saw through this and immediately held the phone away from her as far as it would go.

"Quit it," she hissed, leaning away from him in her chair.

Jessica was still chattering on the other line, completely unaware that Ava wasn't even listening.

"Hang up," he demanded with a distinct whine to his voice.

With a final long-suffering look at him, she shook her head. Jessica was only freaking out because she put way too much pressure on herself; Ava wasn't about to just hang up on her and leave her to her own devices.

"_Let her finish_," Ava mouthed.

A dramatic roll of his eyes was her only answer and he walked backwards, landing on her bed again. He shut his eyes, trying to tune out the girl on the other line but with his acute hearing, he was still able to catch every word.

"What do you think?" Jessica hounded.

"Jess." Ava tried sounding as convincing as possible, lest Jessica want to read through her speech again. She was beginning to fear for the safety of her cellphone. "It's really great. Okay, you need to take a deep breath. I promise, everyone is going to love it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Ava affirmed, sensing her tentative acceptance. "I promise. And hey, if you _really_ do think you did bad – _which won't happen_ – I'll treat you to a movie." As a final incentive, she continued, "anything you want."

At that, Jessica perked up, her voice gaining an enlivened ring. "Really? There's a new one about this super cute couple…" As she continued, Ava was beginning to regret her suggestion; from what she gathered, it sounded like a chick-flick. And although she'd more than likely enjoy it, as she enjoyed most films, she much preferred genre's that had a semblance of reality. Whether it's horror or sci-fi. Rom-coms weren't really her thing.

"It sounds great," Ava said instead, glad that her mood had at least been elevated.

"_Fine_. I can tell you want to get off the phone," Jessica voiced and Ava could practically visualize her narrowed eyes.

"No, no," Ava said – albeit weakly. At this, Paul shot up, straightening his upper body off the bed. _No. Not again._

"Well either way, _I_ have to get off," Jessica informed.

Ava sighed inwardly, _thank God_. "Really?" Her voice had raised an obvious octave. "Well…" She trailed off as Paul came into view at her side, shaking his head vehemently and swiping at his neck in an attempt to keep her from continuing.

She only shot him a patient look and kept her eyes locked on his. "If you need help later, just give me another call."

"No problem, thanks, Ave!" Jessica rang out, the line going dead a second later.

"Jeez," Paul groaned loudly, tilting his head up to look at the ceiling. "Are all your friends that _neurotic_?"

Ava spread on a frown. "She's _not_ neurotic. And you're never going to meet her, so I wouldn't worry about it." She lifted her chin challengingly, referring to his silence on going to the graduation party the following day.

He only rolled his eyes, her connotation coming at him loud and clear. "Whatever."

His answer didn't deter her and instead she plastered on a new, sweet smile. "Have you thought about it?"

Paul didn't answer, instead flopping back onto her bed and laying back like he had before. The calming expression on his face only frustrated her and she dropped the subject with an audible huff.

Ava turned around, fully intent on ignoring him. Unfortunately, now that finals were over, she didn't exactly have anything to keep her busy; she fiddled with her phone for a second before opening her laptop and poking around it lazily.

She thought Paul had fallen asleep, the silence stretching for far too long for otherwise. But when she glanced back at him, she saw that he was flicking through her closet. "_Hey_!" She said, confounded by his actions. She hadn't even heard him get up. "What are you doing?"

Ava was beginning to stand when he fingered a navy-blue cloth and spoke, "where did you get this?" He wrinkled his nose at the fabric. It wasn't the dress that bothered him, it was the scent drifting off.

Lowering herself back down onto her chair, she leaned her head to the side to have a better look. He held it out further. "Um." Ava squinted at the fabric. "Oh, Alice gave me that for graduation."

He wrinkled his nose and dropped the fabric as if it were on fire. "You're not wearing that, are you?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact. I am." She rolled her eyes at his obvious grimace.

"Didn't you already buy one?" He asked.

"Yeah, but I can save it for another time."

Instead on answering, Paul continued wrinkling his nose in distaste. Ava gave a small exhale through her nose in amusement, whirling back around to face her laptop. She was looking through a few college and university sites; after a few seconds of mindless tapping, Paul hovered over her shoulder to scan the screen.

Content that there weren't any out-of-state institutions or any other places past Seattle, he straightened up. "Which one are you picking?"

Ava puckered her lips and moved them to the side in contemplation. "I don't know yet. I still have a while."

"A whole year." He blew out a breath, shaking his head.

"Nearby, probably," Ava admitted. The more she thought about it, the less she wanted to move somewhere far away from everyone; despite everything that had happened and _was_ happening to her, she couldn't fathom moving off and leaving everyone. "Can't leave you alone, who _knows_ what might happen," she teased, a small smirk quirking on her lips.

"Not like it would matter," he said nonchalantly. "You really think I'd just sit back and watch you move out to some nowhere state?"

With a raised brow, she countered, "is that your way of saying you'll '_follow me anywhere_'?" She spoke with a slightly mocking tone and continued, "because _then_ you sound like some cheesy actor in a movie."

* * *

_Three days later. Monday. 7:24 PM. Forks High School. _

Ava shifted in her seat as Jessica strode onto the stage to give her valedictorian speech.

_I could probably recite this thing myself,_ she thought, looking at the ever-confident figure that _was_ Jessica Stanley. As she began her speech, she didn't sound in the least like she had the night before. Her self-assured voice echoing throughout the auditorium and resonating with every graduate, relative and friend that was present for the ceremony.

Disbursing the diplomas didn't take long, considering there weren't too many graduates; _perks of small town living_. Once Ava's name was called, Charlie stood up and clapped loudly, not stopping until Bella received her's, much to the annoyance of the parents around him. Ava shot him an overenthusiastic thumbs up as she made her way back to her seat, smiling widely at Bella when she sat back down next to her.

Ava felt a strange euphoria wash over her as she watched all her classmates throw up their hats, signaling the official end of the ceremony. She only tossed her's up slightly, not wanting to lose it amongst the identical other's.

"You did it." Charlie immediately shoved his way through everyone to reach his daughter and niece. The girls turned around, Charlie throwing an arm around their shoulders and pulling them into a three-way hug.

She could hear Bella trying to smother her chuckles but Ava let out a string of laughter. "Watch the hair."

"I just can't believe it." Charlie shook his head as he pulled back. He still had a loose hold around their shoulders and he pulled them back in after a second. "_Wow_."

"Dad," Bella mumbled, not bothering to hold back her smile. "It's just graduation."

Charlie released them. "_Just_ graduation. You've _graduated_, Bells! Next stop is college, huh?"

"Guess so." Bella smiled tightly, glancing at Ava quickly.

No one had a chance to respond before the chaos ensued following the initial excitement; everyone was suddenly scrambling for photos and talking animatedly about their plans afterwards, most claiming that they were planning on swinging by the infamous Cullens'.

"We should get home," Ava suggested after finding Charlie and Bella again. Jessica had dragged her to take photos and she just now had a chance to slink away with a promise to see her later.

"Yeah." Bella nodded, turning towards her father. "Don't want to be late."

* * *

Favorite and Follow! And if you have a second, leave a review and tell me what you think!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Bella:** Do you actually want to know how I hurt my wrist?  
**Ava:** Yes.  
**Bella:** I was hula hooping. Edward and I attend a class for fitness and for fun.  
**Ava:** oh... my god..  
**Bella:** I've mastered all the moves. The pizza toss, the tornado, the scorpion, the oopsie-doodle.  
**Ava:** Why are you telling me this?  
**Bella:** Because no one will ever believe you.  
**Ava: **You sick son of a bitch.

.+.

**Eric to Mr. Berty:** Happy Teacher Appreciation week if saying that will help my final grade.

.+.

**Bella**: Jacob kissed me.  
**Ava**: Okay, so?  
**Bella**: He kissed me, that's it. Aren't you a little surprised.  
**Ava**: Oh, right.  
**Ava**: *puts on surprised face* Oh, _nooo_. I'm so surprised. I didn't see that coming.

.+.

**Paul**: Describe our relationship in two words.  
**Ava**: Our what?

.+.

**Ava [trying to convince them to go to the graduation party]:** It would help if you would all show up looking like a loving, supportive family.  
**Quil:** For how long?  
**Embry:** Ten minutes is the most I can do.  
**Jacob:** See if you can get it down to five.  
**Paul**: Two and a half minutes, take it or leave it.

.+.

**Bella**: Bad things just always seem to happen to me. I can't fathom a reason why, it seems I have a case of severely bad luck.  
**Ava**: Bella, you don't have bad luck. The reason bad things happen to you is because you're a dumbass.


	36. Chapter 36

**Title**: The Best Of Times: Trailing for Hope  
**Chapter 36**: Out Of The Blue, or A Terrifying Ordeal  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington, permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shape-shifter either. ...No Bella, or Edward-bashing. Follows storyline from "New Moon". _Despite my attempts to write a believable Paul/OC fic, there's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: I apologize for any grammatical errors, as my eyelid is twitching and it's a combination of stress, fatigue, and caffeine. That rhymed, hah.

P.S. If I missed something grammatical or something doesn't make sense, please PM me and let me know!

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, followed, and favorited! :)

* * *

_9:22 PM. Swan House._

"You look pretty." Ava smiled, looking over Bella's willowy – though, tense – frame.

Bella smiled sheepishly in response, tugging at her sleeves; Alice had managed to convince her into a dress for her party and she felt strange in the fabric she was draped in. Ava had changed from the dress from the ceremony and instead had something on that looked more comfortable.

"You too," Bella returned the sentiment.

"Let's hit the road," Ava suggested, straightening up off her doorway. "Alice said we have to be there at 8:00 and we're kinda, already, _really_ late."

"Last thing we need is an angry Alice." Bella chuckled softly, grabbing a small handbag. "Am I driving, or…?"

"I'll drive," Ava offered, a small smirk gracing her lips. "After all, you look _way_ too pretty to be driving."

"Shut up." Bella scoffed, an unwitting, embarrassed smile on her face. "If I don't wear this then Alice really _will_ be angry." She eyed her cousin suspiciously, her appearance finally settling in. "Didn't she give you a dress, too?"

Ava hummed, a sly smile replacing her smirk. "Maybe."

"Ava." Bella shifted uncomfortably in her dress. "Just put it on."

"Bella," Ava mimicked. "Don't tell me what to do."

She only continued grimacing and Ava laughed. "I already wore it for the graduation. She won't care if I'm not wearing it for her party."

"Then I'm changing," Bella resolved, about to turn around and go back into her room. Ava quickly grabbed her elbow and tried going down the stairs. "No time! We gotta go!"

* * *

_9:44 PM. Cullen House._

Bella hadn't stopped grousing about her attire the entire drive to the Cullens. When they arrived at the large house, it seemed like the party was already in full swing; there were people filing in and out, and their front lawn was littered with newly-graduated teens.

Finding parking was another dilemma. "There's no room," Ava mumbled, scanning her eyes; not finding an open spot was beginning to stress her out and she had half-a-mind to just park all the way in Port Angeles.

"Park in the back," Bella suggested, pointing to an ornate gate off to the side.

"I just spent ten minutes looking for parking, Bella," Ava said dryly, shooting her an irked expression and turning her wheel towards the small driveway.

Bella only gave her a small smile, unbuckling her seatbelt and walking towards the locked gate. After punching in who-knows-what, the black-metaled gate swung open slowly and Ava pulled in. The back was obviously completely empty, and Ava sighed happily, pulling her car into an empty space on the concrete driveway.

"Revenge for not letting me change," Bella voiced, tugging lightly at the hem of her dress pointedly.

"Nice." Ava wiped the smile off and glared lightly back at her. "But _I'm_ not the one in the dress, so who's the real winner here?"

Stepping a foot into the party, immediately the two girls were bombarded with tornado Jessica. Angela was in tow and had on a bright smile as she greeted both girls.

"You guys made it!" Angela exclaimed happily, pulling Ava into a tight hug. She did the same with Bella before Jessica followed her actions and pounced immediately, "hey! What did you think about my speech?"

"I think," Ava started, a teasing tone to her voice. "That I heard it half a million times. It was _great_, Jess, really."

She clicked her tongue, unsure. "Are you sure? Not too easy-breezy? Too self-helpful?"

Bella shook her head, breathing out, "no, I think you pretty much nailed it."

"Yeah?" Jessica's wide smile spread across and she nodded vehemently. "It's like I was born to lead, right?"

Angela burst in, her eyes shining brilliantly. "I love this song!" She yelled excitedly, tugging Jessica's arm. "Let's go!"

There was only an expression of horror that swept across Ava's face before she felt Jessica's fingers dig into her elbow. Ava tried yanking her hand off, but Jessica was undeterred. In a fit of panic as she felt herself being dragged towards the dance floor, Ava reached for Bella. Unfortunately, Bella foresaw her actions and she reeled back, Ava grasping at empty air desperately.

Bella only gave her an unapologetic smile and waved weakly from the side as she was dragged off.

Ava didn't dance. That much had always been evident; she always managed to be slightly off beat and tried too hard to keep up with everyone else. And if anyone saw her tonight, they'd completely agree. Being surrounded by everyone continuously bumping into her, Ava tried to look as normal as possible.

As soon as she saw an opening to slink off, Ava tried inching her way out of the tight circle that she was in. She only made it half a step to the side before Jessica yanked her back roughly. Ava jolted into place, wrinkling her nose when someone elbowed her side.

She was expecting an earful from Jessica on why she had to stay with her, but instead she leaned closer to Ava. Her harsh whisper fanning over her face, "_who_ is that, and _why_ is he staring at me?"

Ava furrowed her eyebrows and followed her gaze. She noticed Bella first, her back facing Ava as she spoke to someone blocked by another group of people; then she caught sight of her companions, immediately zeroing in on who Jessica was talking about.

"He's-_what the hell_?"

Paul stood off to the side, a widening smirk spreading across as he realized that Ava had noticed him. Embry and Quil were behind him, snickering at the interaction between their friend and pack brother.

Ava's eyes swept to Bella and now that the group had cleared from her vision she noticed that she was talking to Jacob…and she didn't look very happy. She almost forgot that Jessica was beside her until she felt her nails digging into her forearm.

"Jess," Ava replied blankly, locking her eyes back onto Paul's expression. He looked much too smug at her reaction and she deepened her scowl.

"He's hot," Jessica said bluntly, not bothering to hide her gawk. Ava nearly choked.

"Jessica," she hissed, whirling her head to narrow her eyes. "Be _quiet_."

"It's not like he can hear me." Jessica rolled her eyes, defending herself before perking up. Her eyes sparkled with a mischievous shine as she continued, "should I go introduce myself?" She raised her eyebrows matter-of-factly. "He's, like, staring hardcore. It's obvious he wants to talk to me. Maybe he's nervous."

She shook her head slightly. "Jessi-"

Jessica didn't pay her any mind, continuing to ramble, "…like, totally my type. I'm pretty sure Mike is going to, like, ask me out again, but I'd rather…"

Ava tried concentrating on what she was talking about, but feeling Paul's stare on her was beginning to grate against her nerves. The _idiot_ said he wasn't going to come, and here he was. As if he had every single right to be.

…Which he technically _did_, it's not like this was illegal. Still, that didn't erase the fact that he should have _told_ her if he was going to come, save her the dejection she felt from his refusal.

She tried twisting her arm out of Jessica's iron grip again. "Do you think he's from around here? I would've remembered a face like that. Okay, I'm gonna do it," Jessica resolved, her eyes still completely unabashed.

"Just…_shh_," Ava hushed, turning towards Paul. "I'll be back."

"What are you doing?' Jessica asked comically, taken aback by Ava's statement.

Ava ignored her, shaking off her hold finally and stalking towards the amused trio of boys. Her expression fell into an annoyed glare as she neared; Bella was still talking to Jacob, seemingly much calmer than when Ava saw her initially.

Embry and Quil couldn't fight the cheesy smile on their faces as Ava approached. They loved the girl, but even _they_ were a little afraid of her outbursts as they've had enough experience dealing with them since they'd known her.

"_What_ are you doing?" Ava immediately demanded, reciting Jessica's question she disregarded a second ago–only she was fully expecting an answer from the smug wolf. "What happened to '_hell no_'?"

Ava ignored Bella's glance at her, keeping her eyes on the amused glint in Paul's eyes.

Quil smothered a snort, highly entertained by the events developing in front of him. He elbowed Embry's side, both giving Paul a mocking shove of his shoulder. "Dude, I think you're in trouble."

Paying no mind to the simpering boys beside him, he raised his eyebrows challengingly. "You wanted me to come."

"I did." Ava nodded, almost sarcastically. "And _then_ you said there's no way in hell you're coming unless I'm at death's door." She continued dryly, "so unless _you_ know something _I_ don't, I'm not dying, and you shouldn't be here."

Instead of answering any question or statement thrown at him, he nodded once behind Ava. "Is that the annoying one?"

Ava turned her head, catching Jessica's wide eyes. Jessica stared for a second before turning on her heel, probably hoping that no one noticed her staring despite her gaze being locked on them for the past two minutes.

"She's not annoying," Ava bristled, whipping her head back to narrow her eyes. "_You_ are. Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"I said I'd think about it," he pointed out. He was pleased with her reaction to him showing up, it was exactly what he was expecting; Paul actually hoped he had another chance in the future to get her this riled up again. Not only was her expression endearing, but so were the waves of her barely suppressed annoyance radiating off her.

"You _also_ said to not get disappointed when you don't show up." Ava scoffed, missing the distracted look that Paul had on while looking at her. "I took that as a resonating _no_."

During their back and forth, Quil and Embry looked very interested and still a little surprised that Ava was arguing with the most easily provoked shape-shifter in the pack. They didn't think they'd ever forget the first time they heard Ava say something with the smallest amount of irritation to Paul; he hadn't given a single indication that he was going to give a negative reaction, in fact, he looked incredibly amused.

"I'll…" Bella voiced emptily, still standing beside Ava. She leaned against her cousin for support as she caught sight of Alice coming down the stairs. In a flash, Alice dropped the crystal bowl in her hands and it shattered to the ground, not garnering much attention as the music was playing loudly and everyone was preoccupied.

Ava swung her attention to join Bella's, cocking her head to the side to look past Paul's frame.

Suddenly, Bella grabbed Ava's elbow. "We'll be right back." Ava wasn't sure who she was talking to, but Alice's expression didn't let her question too much.

Bella steered her towards the stairs where Alice stood frozen, her hands still held out as if the bowl was in her grasp. "Alice, what'd you see?"

Ava searched Alice's face. "Alice?"

"The decision's been made," Alice said sorrowfully, her pupils darting around.

"What's going on?" "What decision?" Jacob and Paul asked from over Bella and Ava's shoulders, respectively.

Bella shook her head knowingly. "You're not going to Seattle." Ava whipped her head to the side to look at her before Alice continued.

"No." Alice answered dejectedly. "They're coming _here_...they'll be here in four days."

* * *

_10:42 PM. Cullen House._

Carlisle paced back and forth. "This could turn into a bloodbath."

After Alice had her vision she immediately went to her family to relay what she saw. The Cullens ended the party soon after, some grumbling about how it was still early but most were content that they were able to see the Cullen house.

Edward frowned and turned towards Alice. "Who's behind it?"

Shaking her head, Alice answered, "I didn't see anyone I recognized…maybe one." Edward delved into her mind, catching who she was speaking about.

He nodded. "I know his face. He's local. Riley Biers...he didn't start this."

Ava furrowed her brows, tightening her crossed arms. "The-he's missing," she insisted, glancing at everyone's somber expressions. "He's not…he's been missing for a long time, there's no way…"

"It is," Alice responded to her before turning towards Edward. "And whoever _did_ start this is staying out of the action."

Ava felt a shiver of fear tear from her body uncontrollably and she clenched her hands into fists. She knew it wasn't the cold; Paul was right behind her and his intense heat was radiating off him more strongly than before. Embry and Quil were on one side of him and Jacob was on his other, all listening vehemently and exchanging quick glances in concentration.

Ava could tell that they were more than a little confused, as no one had really spoken about what exactly was going on. In actuality, Ava was in the same boat.

"They must be playing with the blind spots in your vision." Carlisle was thinking aloud, shaking his head lightly. Jasper chimed in, "either way, the army's coming and there aren't enough of us to protect the town."

Jacob sighed exasperatedly, finally reaching his breaking point. "Hold up. What _damn_ army."

"Newborns," Carlisle explained. "Our kind."

Embry crossed his arms, eyeing the vampire. "What are they after?"

Alice shifted uncomfortably as Carlisle turned towards her. "They were passing around Bella's red blouse."

Ava felt her heart drop in her chest and she felt like she was going to be sick. This can't be happening; this stupid army of _vampires_ are hunting Bella down?

She overheard Paul behind her, muttering in annoyance, "_seriously_? Again?" She could feel a rise in her temper and she shot him the most scathing glare she could muster over her shoulder, not appreciating his comment in the least.

He didn't back down, meeting her expression with one of his own; all her damn cousin was doing was causing more problems for anyone involved around her. Ava pursed her lips and looked back around as she heard Bella muttering to herself.

"The red…" Bella whispered breathlessly, squinting her eyes down at the ground. Everyone was staring at her, waiting for her to finish. Bella looked up, the distress clear in her eyes as she looked at Ava. "…Didn't you…?"

Ava only looked at her, a puzzled expression plain across her face. Everyone fell silent and their eyes were drilling into her waiting for the answer to Bella's unasked question.

Then it hit her.

She had been wearing that shirt when she went to Port Angeles with Angela. The day that hadn't left her mind, the day where she felt like someone had been watching her every move.

"I did," Ava choked out, dislodging the lump that had formed in her throat. Paul stiffened immediately, gritting his teeth together harshly.

Ava continued, chuckling nervously to ease her tension. "It's not like it would've stuck, though, right?" She glanced desperately at everyone. "It was a-a_, like, a month_ ago." Finally, Ava burst at Bella, taking a step forward, "I put it back in _your_ room! Why would they-?!"

"Ava." Alice frowned, trying to reassure the spooked girl. "It's probably nothing."

"They could be using her scent to try and keep tabs on Ava, as well as Bella. They've been watching, there's no way they haven't…Victoria has been seen...then the other vampire…" Jasper trailed off. "She wants revenge."

Now, Ava _really_ felt like she was going to vomit. Her hands were tingling with nervousness and she could feel the quake in her knees. Maybe _now_ was the time to mention Port Angeles…it could be nothing, but the nervous knot in her stomach was thickening by the second.

As they continued speaking amongst themselves, Ava tuned them out in favor of trying to control the hitch in her breath. Paul narrowed his eyes at the back of her head, instantly detecting the shift.

He leaned forward, his breath tickling the side of her neck. "You need to breath-"

"Nothing," Ava responded blankly, not even hearing him. That only elicited a suspicious expression and he pressed, "Ava, you're acting weird."

"_No_, I'm not," she snapped a little too loudly. At that, everyone's eyes shot at her with confused, furrowed brows.

After a pause of her words settling heavily, Ava spoke carefully, "there may have been…something." Ava backtracked immediately, contradicting herself now that she heard herself aloud. "You know, it's probably nothing, I'm crazy-"

"What do you mean?" Carlisle asked patiently, deepening the perfect lines between his eyes. "What something?"

Ava shifted uncomfortably at everyone's attention and spoke quickly, "it happened when I went to Port Angeles. It just felt a little off…like, I was being watched. Then on the way back something ran in front of Angela's car." She took a small pause, shutting her eyes. "It looked like a person, but maybe it was a deer or something."

"I'm not so sure about that." Emmett raised a brow. "That bitch is itching to get anywhere near Bella."

"Emmett," Esme chastised.

"He's right," Jasper voiced, glancing at Bella. "Victoria will do anything to hurt her."

"And I had the same feeling when that vampire was in our house," Ava finally admitted, Bella whipping her head to stare her down. "I woke up that night and I just felt off..."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Bella ground out, scowling.

"It was just a feeling." Ava tightened her lips, willing her racing heart to slow down a fraction. "I haven't really _seen_ anything, _so_, it's nothing. Nothing happened."

"Yet," Paul cut in sharply, he instinctively hovered closer to Ava, only a half-step away. "Nothing, _yet_."

"…They _do_ have her scent." Alice said, worry beginning to bite at her. "And…if she wore that blouse when she was being watched, then why would they take that specific one, instead of one with just Bella's scent."

Jasper frowned. "That's only if her scent was actually-"

"So, do they have it or not?" Ava blurted out, tired of the back and forth.

"They'll be able to distinguish your scent from Bella's," Carlisle explained, adding after a second, "but yours is more than likely in the mix as well."

Jacob advanced a step, standing next to Ava. "So, they're _after_ Bella? And now, they have Ava's scent?" He glanced rapidly from both girls. "What the hell does this mean?'

"It means _another_ fucking thing, Jacob." Paul scowled, unable to keep his voice quiet. He could feel Embry and Quil inching closer, keeping their eyes on him in case he got too angry–but right now, all he could focus on was finding a way to keep Ava as safe as possible.

"It also means an ugly fight," Carlisle tacked on, shaking his head with the thought. "With lives lost."

Jacob swallowed roughly, absorbing all that was said before turning towards his brothers. He and Paul seemed to have an entire conversation solely with their eyes before Paul spoke up, "...all right. We're in."

Paul was third-in-command in Sam's pack, so his word within the four boys there was final. Ava wasn't sure if she was expecting him to flat out refuse and come to the conclusion that she and her family way too complicated for him, but she did feel a small wave of relief wash over her.

Bella shook her head while staring at Jacob, pleadingly. "No. You'd get yourselves killed. No way."

Ava furrowed her eyebrows. _Killed? They've fought vampires before, what's the difference between newborns?_ She opened her mouth to ask when Jacob scoffed mockingly at Bella. "We aren't asking for permission."

"Edward?" Bella turned towards her boyfriend beside her as another attempt to convince the pack not to fight.

Edward took a second before replying, speaking cautiously, "it means more protection for you. _Both_ of you," He gave Ava a pointed glance.

"Paul," Carlisle suddenly said, addressing the ill-tempered shape-shifter over Ava's shoulder. "Do you believe Sam would agree to...an understanding?"

He answered in a mocking tone of voice. "As long as we get to kill _some_ vampires."

"We'll need to coordinate," Carlisle continued, straightening up and already thinking through when he'd be able to get together with Sam to speak.

Bella took a desperate step towards him. "Carlisle, they're gonna get hurt."

He gave her a sympathetic look and turned towards the pack. "We'll _all_ need some training. Fighting newborns requires knowledge that Jasper has. You're welcome to join us."

Shooting Paul a quick nod, Jacob took a confident step forward. "All right. Name the time and place."

"Jake," Bella pleaded. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into."

"Bella." Jake imitated her voice. "This is what we do. You should be happy." He continued in a taunting voice, "look at us, working together. You _are_ the one who wanted us to get along. Remember?"

Their unspoken tension had everyone confused, even Ava. She could only assume it was the kiss that Jake had planted on her, but she didn't have the time to think too much into it. She was confused; she still had no idea about the difference between the vampires and newborns. Bella hadn't gone into detail when she told her about the army and Ava figured newborns were just new vampires. But with everyone preparing for some unseen, immense danger, she could feel that something was wrong.

After Jacob finished, he stepped back and jerked his head towards the front door. "We should go."

Paul didn't move, lingering behind Ava until Jacob reminded him that they still needed to speak to Sam; he nodded once, understanding the timeline that they had been left with.

"I'll see you later?" He said carefully, a light hand on the small of Ava's back.

Ava only nodded robotically, barely hearing him through her resonating thoughts.

* * *

Favorite and Follow! And if you have a second, leave a review and tell me what you think! And, I am _loving_ everyone saying _they_ love the quotes at the end! Haha, they're honestly my favorite part to add since the chapters are all written out so all I really have to do is edit and _while_ I'm editing, my mind starts racing about the funniest quotes I can get my hands on/the ones I already have saved. Also, woah, I just had deja vu reading this caption for errors.

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Paul: **I can't believe you guys are at this lame party.  
**Quil: **You're here too.  
**Paul: **Am I?

.+.

**Ava:** Paul, can I speak to you for a second?  
**Paul:** Ooooh, someone's in trouble.  
**Paul:** It's me, I don't know why I did that.

.+.

**Ava, panicking about the newborn army:** How are we supposed to defend ourselves? We have no sticks, no rocks, no bears.  
**Bella, whispering:** ..._bears_?

.+.

**Alice**: That's why I'm here. To deliver unpleasant news and witty one-liners.

.+.

**Ava:** I'm at a loss for words!  
**Paul, narrating:** Despite being at a loss for words, Ava yelled at me for the next ten minutes.

.+.

**Sam**: Does everyone remember the plan?  
**Embry**: I thought we didn't have a plan.  
**Jared**: No plan? Easy to remember.  
**Paul**: ...

.+.

**Brady**: You know, just like pop rocks and coke, Collin and I make a dangerous team.

.+.

**Ava:** Is anyone else scared?  
**Bella:** Not me. I've already lived longer than I expected.

.+.

**Bella**: I disagree.  
**Ava**: You usually do.

.+.

**Jacob:** We need to think; how do we usually get out of these messes?  
**Ava: **We don't.  
**Bella:** We just make a bigger one that cancels the first one out.


	37. Chapter 37

**Title**: The Best Of Times: Trailing for Hope  
**Chapter 37**: Hoping For The Best But Preparing For The Worst, or The Bad Beginning  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington, permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shape-shifter either. ...No Bella, or Edward-bashing. Follows storyline from "New Moon". _Despite my attempts to write a believable Paul/OC fic, there's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: I apologize for any grammatical errors, as I EDITED THIS CHAPTER WHEN I EDITED THE CHAPTER BEFORE THIS I'M ON A ROLL. But I'm going to bed now, two chapters is enough for tonight. Also, the second part of the chapter title is paying homage to one of my favorite book series, if you guess it, you're awesome.

P.S. If I missed something grammatical or something doesn't make sense, please PM me and let me know!

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, followed, and favorited! :)

* * *

_Monday. 11:52 PM. Swan house_

When Bella and Ava had arrived home, Charlie had waited up. He was slightly surprised to see the girls this early, he was expecting them later considering they _did_ just graduate. But he didn't pay it much mind, only waving at them half-heartedly and telling them goodnight as he ambled up the stairs to go to bed.

On the ride back, Bella had explained to her about the newborns. Ava could feel her foot inch further onto the gas and Bella had to snap her out of it on more than a few occasions on the drive.

Apparently, newborn vampires meant they were faster, stronger and have much less control than a vampire that has been 'alive'–so to speak–for a longer period of time. When Ava learned this, she was beginning to understand everyone's preparations and she was beginning to worry about the safety of everyone that was involved, _especially_ the pack.

Staying true to his parting words, Ava heard her window slide open and she whipped her head in the direction, audibly sighing when she saw that it was only Paul.

She immediately moved in his direction, standing by the window as he practically stumbled in. "What happened? Did you talk to Sam?"

"Yeah," he mumbled, straightening up off the ground and slightly perturbed that she hadn't asked if he was okay. But after a glance at her current state, that was wiped from his mind. He could hear the difficulty in her breathing and her heart rate was the highest he'd heard it. "Ava, you need to sit down."

"I'm fine." She waved him off, pacing back towards the center of her small room. "What did Sam say?"

"We'll fight," he assured, eyeing her carefully. She looked more than a little unhinged. "Ava, seriously-"

"It's okay." She shook her head, running a hand through the front of her hair. "I mean, it's _not_ like we were doing okay before, so this is just another thing."

He reached out, placing a light hand on her shoulder. She jerked to a stop, her mind still pacing in her head. "It's going to be fine."

"Do you even know what you're going up against?" She bit out quietly, backing up a step. "They're stronger than regular vampires. They can kill you way easier and-"

"Ava, it's fine," Paul said solidly. "Our pack is way stronger than some dumbass newborn bloodsuckers."

"But-"

"It'll be fine," he repeated. "We'll take them on no problem, I swear."

Ava let out a frustrated breath, her worries were falling on deaf ears. Before she could get another word in, Paul's face twisted into a sour expression. "And Port Angeles. Why didn't you tell me?"

She furrowed her brows, shaking her head slightly. "Wha-?"

"_Port Angeles_," he repeated.

Ava pursed her lips before responding. "Same reason you didn't tell me about Victoria that night," she defended, keeping her voice low. Even though Charlie was one of the deepest sleepers known to man, she didn't want to take any chances. "That's why you checked on me so late. I didn't want you to worry or anything, you guys already had enough to deal with."

"That's not your job," he huffed, narrowing his eyes at her rebuttal. "Don't worry about that shit, I swear if something happens, you _have_ to tell me."

"Okay," she agreed breathily, dropping her shoulders in surrender. She didn't have any fight left in her tonight. "Whatever, just…what about the training thing with the Cullens?"

He pressed a heel of his palm against an eye as he thought back, wrinkling his nose in concentration. "Uh, tomorrow. Midday."

"You need sleep," Ava noticed bluntly. "A lot of it."

"So do you." He let his hand drop and raised a brow. "Don't think I haven't noticed you look dead on your feet."

She jutted out her bottom lip in a small pout, ruffled by his poor choice of words. "I'm _sleeping_."

"Barely," he replied dryly.

Ava lifted her shoulders in defeat. "_Well_, I doubt I'll be getting any sleep tonight, anyway."

He glanced down at the floor and Ava immediately gave him a blank look. "You're not sleeping in here."

Paul looked mildly offended and scoffed, opening his mouth to deny her assumption before shutting it. Crossing his arms, he took a different approach. "Why not?"

"It's weird," Ava insisted. "And if Charlie sees you, he'll kill you. And then, he'll kill _me_. Or…ship me off to my parents."

"I'll be gone in the morning," he offered, already taking a step towards her bed.

"No," Ava repeated, stalking towards her bed quickly and snatching a pillow off. Throwing it at him, she continued, "and if you _were_ sleeping in here, you'd be on the floor or shoved in the closet."

"I'll take the floor," he resolved.

"You're _not_ sleeping in here," Ava deadpanned. "Now go away so I can at least _try_ to get some sleep."

Realizing she wasn't going to budge, he rolled his eyes and made his way back towards her window. "It's only weird if you _make_ it weird," he mumbled petulantly.

"Bye," she enunciated slowly, watching him heave himself out of her window. She walked closer, sticking her head out in time to see him land on the ground below. With a wave, she shut her window firmly, making sure the lock was in place tightly.

She felt a wave of nausea hit her and she shut her eyes, swallowing the collection of saliva in her mouth signaling a threatening upheaval of her stomach. With a nervous, final look outside, she closed her curtains, not wanting to look outside into the darkened, foreboding trees.

* * *

_The next day. Tuesday. 1:23 PM. Training ground. _

"Can one of you remind me again _why_ you're both coming?" Edward asked, glancing from Bella in the passenger seat to Ava reflected in the rearview mirror.

"See what we're up against," Bella answered shortly. "We're involved in this, we should know what's going on."

Ava was fidgeting with her necklace, the back of the chain digging into her neck. She was staring out the window, watching the trees and brush whiz past. "We can't really do anything about it," she mumbled.

Bella frowned and turned to look back at her over the seat. "Ava, we're involved."

"Are we, Bella?" Ava asked, her breath hitching in her throat. She spoke around the forming lump, her voice heightening slightly. "Because _we're_ human, in case you've forgotten. We should have just stayed home."

Bella chose not to answer, instead turning around and keeping her eyes on the clearing up ahead. She needed to know about everything that was going on; the people she cared about were now involved, and she didn't know how Ava was content on just sitting back and waiting. She practically had to _drag_ her cousin out of the house.

Arriving at the clearing-turned-training-ground, the rest of the Cullens were already there. Ava climbed out of the jeep slowly and walked towards the group; she wasn't sure what she was expecting from today–the only thing that she knew was the pack would be joining them.

"Ava." Alice smiled, bouncing towards her and giving her a swift hug.

"Hey, Alice," Ava spoke, pulling back and looking at everyone. "Everyone." There were greetings from all around and no one had a chance to say anything else before the wolves emerged from the sparse trees beside the open clearing.

Ava shifted uncomfortably as both groups hovered closer towards each other. Despite having seen them in their wolf forms a handful of times, it never really struck Ava just how large they truly were.

She moved with the rest of the Cullens, taking a few additional steps closer before Paul's massive form moved past the rest of the pack and immediately wedged himself between her and the vampiric family. Pressing the side of his head against her hips, she stumbled a few steps towards the pack. Paul eyed the Cullens suspiciously, the vampires with reflections of the same expression. Suspicion.

"They don't trust us enough to be in their human forms," Edward explained, his eyes tracking their minds individually.

Carlisle inclined his head at Edward and the pack in front of him. "They came. That's what matters." He thought for a second before speaking again, his face angled to Edward. "Will you translate?" Edward nodded once, still restless about the presence of the wolves.

Paul had moved from his original position in front of her to crouching directly behind, and Ava felt nervous standing in the middle of these long-rivaled groups. She caught movement from the side and she shot her eyes in the direction, seeing Jacob ambling towards Bella uneasily.

Bella smiled tightly. "Hey, Jake."

Sam kept his eyes fixated on Jake and he growled lowly in a silent command. Alice seemed to have the same thing on her mind because she grabbed Bella's elbow and moved her tighter towards her family.

"Welcome," Carlisle greeted, moving much closer toward the pack. He was only a few steps from Ava and she could feel Paul bristle behind her. "Jasper has experience with newborns. He'll teach us how to defeat them."

Edward stepped forward upon hearing Sam's thoughts. "They want to know how the newborns differ from us."

"They're a great deal stronger than us," Carlisle explained. "Because their own human blood lingers in their tissues. Our kind is never more physically powerful than in our first several months of this life." After speaking, he turned around and nodded once to Jasper.

Jasper moved forward and further continued, "Carlisle's right. That's why they are created. A newborn army doesn't need thousands like a human army, but no human army could stand against them."

After he said this, Ava swallowed thickly. _What chance did they have then?_ Paul, feeling the unmistakable spike of her anxiety, stretched out his neck and nudged his head against her lower back to try and silently convey that everything would be fine.

"Now." Jasper paced slowly back and forth, addressing both his family and the pack. "The two most important things to remember are, first, never let them get their arms around you. They'll crush you instantly. And second, _never go for the obvious kill_. They'll be expecting that...and you _will _lose."

"Emmett," Jasper called, moving to a smaller clearing beside them and readying to spar. "Don't hold back."

Emmett smirked, cracking his neck. "Not in my nature." He shot at Jasper and they moved quickly, Ava barely registering that they were there. Emmett lost, being slammed into the ground. "Never lose focus," Jasper advised.

Next were Carlisle and Edward. The pack had shifted closer, observing the fighting styles; Edward managed to pin Carlisle down and just as he thought he won, Jasper neared, and Edward straightened up.

"One more thing…" Carlisle reversed roles in the blink of an eye and now had Edward pinned. Jasper rolled his eyes. "_Never_ turn your back on your enemy."

Rosalie and Alice followed, Alice being the only one that managed to catch Jasper off guard after distracting him.

After a lull in any action taking place, Jake had managed to stalk closer to Bella and she was speaking; Ava was itching to go over, but she knew that it wasn't the right time. Paul hadn't budged from her side and, already guessing her thoughts correctly, moved his head in front of her to keep her from any impulsive actions she might have.

"I'm not doing anything." Ava let out a small laugh when he pressed against her abdomen to move back a step.

Jacob ambled to her side, watching Edward and Bella who were reunited and speaking lowly to each other a few feet away. Paul continued nudging her harder and Ava looked down at him, furrowing her eyebrows. "What are you doing?"

"Ava," Bella's voice called suddenly, watching her cousin carefully. "We're done. We should go."

"Oh." Ava nodded slightly at her. "Yeah! Be right there." She placed a hand on the side of Paul's head, pushing him away from her and towards his retreating pack. "Go on."

Her actions barely phased him and he growled in response, glaring even in his wolf form at Bella and Edward's turned backs.

"Quit glaring," Ava said quietly. He turned towards her, a disgruntled look in his eyes and she rolled her own in response. "They can read your mind, you know."

He grunted once at her, snapping his teeth once at the family before he sprinted behind the rest of the pack. Ava watched as he disappeared behind the hill before turning on her heel to head back to the group.

The Cullens remained in the clearing for a little while, strategizing and thinking through numerous backup plans in case things got out of hand.

Ava was sitting next to Bella on the hood of the Jeep when Jasper passed by. "Hey." Bella leaned forward slightly, stopping him in his tracks. "How do you know so much about this?"

He glanced at both girls before answering, "I didn't have quite the same upbringing as my adopted siblings." As he finished, he lifted the sleeves of his shirt to show the bite marks that littered his pale skin.

Ava felt her eyes widen slightly at the recognition and slid down the side of the Jeep. "Those-they look like yours." Ava tugged lightly at Bella's sleeve when she joined her on the ground.

"They do," Bella breathed out. "They look like mine." She would always have the reminder of James to carry throughout the rest of her life.

"Battle scars," Jasper joked, giving them a side smile. "All the training in the Confederate Army gave me was useless against the newborns...still...never lost a fight." He winked playfully at Ava.

She was taken by surprise, sometimes she forgot just how long the Cullens had been around. They were right in front of her–superficially breathing and eating alongside everyone, yet, they weren't anywhere near the same age.

He stepped away a few feet and Bella followed, springing in front of him. "This happened during the Civil War?"

Ava trailed behind the pair as Jasper answered, "I was the youngest major in the Texas cavalry, all without having seen any real battle."

"Until?"

"...Till I met a certain immortal," Jasper said breathlessly. "...Maria."

Jasper went on to tell the story of his turning. It was a surprising one of deception in the hands of someone he trusted. Maria, the woman who turned him, was creating an army of newborns and turned Jasper to aid her. He thought what they had was love, but it was nothing but a facade. Feeling lost until he found Alice.

"You kept me waiting long enough," Alice chimed in from behind Jasper, his attention immediately being diverted. Speaking briefly before sharing a kiss.

"We should go," Ava suggested, catching Bella's eye.

Bella nodded once, steering them towards Edward. As the ride commenced in silence, Edward could read the fear and panic gripping Ava's thoughts. When he dropped both girls off, he tried his best to ease them.

"No harm will come from this." He truly hoped his statement would help. The last thing he wanted was any trouble or pain to fall on Bella or anyone that she cared about.

Ava only hit her lip nervously, nearly drawing blood. _No harm, huh?_

* * *

_5:53 PM. Emily Young and Sam Uley's house._

Paul felt his eyes narrow as Ava continued explaining what was decided with the Cullens. _Apparently_, they thought that the best and safest course of action was to have her and her cousin hidden away as the battle took place.

Ava being so close to the target of this entire mess didn't sound smart. She should stay on the reservation; it would be safer than being stuck on the side of a frozen mountain, unprotected.

"And, Bella convinced Edward to stay with her, so…"

...

Ava immediately knew that was the wrong thing to say. She was hoping that bringing up Edward staying with her and Bella would lessen the blow about being a possible target, but now, she had _multiple_ shifters unhappy with the situation. She had only foreseen Paul having a problem with a vampire being so close to her, but a quick glance around signaled that no one was put at any ease.

"It's what they came up with," Ava continued carefully before anyone had a chance to speak up. "I don't think it's that bad of a plan."

"Of course you wouldn't." Paul frowned. "You don't see the danger in _any_ god damn situation."

Ava narrowed her eyes sharply. "Yes, I do. We only have three days to think through a plan and I don't see _you_ coming up with anything."

He opened his mouth to retort snarkily before Embry chimed in, trying to failingly diffuse the situation. "I don't know. Hiding you both out in the same place seems kind of stupid. I mean, how do you expect to even get there?"

"Your scent is gonna be all over. It'll lead straight to you," Jared added.

"They haven't worked out the kinks yet," Ava admitted. She turned towards Sam since he was currently the most level-headed; he had been silent for the most part, thinking through what Ava was telling them. "They're figuring things out, though, Sam. I don't know. Right now, this seems like the best option."

Everyone's eyes snapped towards their alpha, waiting for him to shoot down the plan and suggest another one. A better one. He nodded once instead. "I agree."

"You can't be serious," Paul snapped, standing up from the table. "You think her being up on some mountain is safer than staying on the reservation?"

"It'll be fine. Seth is going to be there," Sam explained patiently. Seth perked up, this being news to him; Sam had originally told him that he would be with Brady and Collin. He'd been hoping his alpha would let him play a bigger part in the pack and this was his chance. "We'll know what's going on with them, as will they."

Paul opened his mouth to argue further and Sam held up a hand to keep him quiet. "The farther from the battle site, the safer she'll be, Paul. There's more of a chance they'll catch her scent here, than there."

He didn't have anything to say. With a harsh scowl on his face, he lowered himself back down. Ava had been around the reservation so much that her scent was everywhere. As much as he loathed the thought of Ava being stuck on a mountain with her cousin and leech boyfriend, she needed to stay as far away from the battle as possible.

"Why does the leech-lover's _bloodsucker_ have to be there?" He asked instead, the bitterness coming off him in waves.

Ava ignored the nickname and spoke quietly, "she doesn't want him to fight." Truthfully, Ava didn't want _anyone_ to fight. She was worried about the safety of every being involved, vampires and wolves, alike.

"How many do you think there'll be?" Brady asked, leaning forward in anticipation. He already assumed that he and Collin would be down guarding the reservation, but now Seth would be on the mountainside, while the rest of their pack would be fighting on the battle field; the prospect of being in an actual fight with a vampire was too exciting for him to keep quiet.

Brady caught Paul's glare and he shrunk back. _Was it something I said?_

"I'm not sure," Ava answered, not noticing the interaction. She bit her lip nervously and Paul deepened his frown, throwing an arm over the back of her chair.

"It's fine," Paul insisted. "We can take them."

"Can't we just go check it out?" Collin added, looking at Sam. "For a second?"

Sam shook his head once firmly. "You have your post." His voice left no room for argument, and the two boys deflated before turning back towards Ava.

"Did the vampire see who's going to win?" "What time are they getting there?" "Do you think there'll be more than a hundred?"

"Shut it," Paul barked. The young wolves quieted down, their pouts clearly evident across their faces. Ava wanted to tell him to calm down, that they were just curious, but she couldn't help but feel gratitude. This was all getting to be too much for her.

"I need to get home." Ava stood up shakily, keeping her hands on the table to steady herself.

"It's still early," Emily pressed. "Just stay for dinner."

Ava shook her head lightly. "No, I should get going. I'm pretty tired."

Paul made to follow, but Ava gave him a discreet shake of her head as she grabbed her bag from the back of the chair. He didn't pay it any mind and followed anyway.

She only gave everyone a tight smile with a small wave on her way out, hoping no one thought too much into her demeanor. She was wrong, though, as soon as she and Paul stepped outside, matching expressions of concern were across the kitchen and dining room table.

"You okay?" Paul asked cautiously, once the door was shut firmly behind him.

"Yeah," Ava answered absently, taking a step down the porch. She wanted to get home as soon as possible and crawl into bed. She knew sleep wouldn't claim her, but at this point she was just tired of _standing_.

When Paul followed as she stepped fully onto the ground, she sighed inwardly; he wasn't going to let this go and she _didn't_ want to talk about it.

He deepened the line between his eyes and tried another approach. "So," he started, causing Ava to lift her gaze up to look at him after he took a second to continue. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Ava insisted, darting her eyes to the side when she heard a snap in the shadows.

The logical side of her brain knew it was one of the many noises that went on during the night but she couldn't control the spike of adrenaline.

"Then why are you acting like a rabbit is going to kill you," he asked patiently, unable to keep the quips to himself.

For whatever reason, that small comment triggered something inside her head and she snapped. "Can you, _please_, just admit that this is dangerous?"

A frown crossed his face and he folded his arms, patient tone still in play. "Why would I say that?"

"Because you can die," Ava tried whispering, her voice heightening after every word. "You can _die_. And all you keep telling me is that it's not dangerous, and you'll be fine and not to worry."

"Ava." He sighed heavily, shutting his eyes briefly.

"What?" Ava ground out, not caring if everyone inside could hear her. "Can you stop acting like this is routine? That this is all _normal_?"

He eyed her frame carefully, choosing his words. To be completely honest, he was nervous. Not about _his_ safety, but about Ava's; the thought of leaving her behind was debilitating, but he couldn't bring himself to stay back. He _needed_ to play an active role in protecting her.

"What do you want me to say?" He breathed out finally.

"That you're scared," Ava replied instantly. "Just…_react_ like a normal person. You're not invincible. _None_ of you are."

"I'm not a normal person," Paul said pointedly. "I'm not going to act like some scared little kid, Ava. No one involved in this is normal."

She deflated, his words hitting her hard. She kept forgetting that just because _her_ and Bella were human, that didn't mean that most anyone else in their lives were too; they weren't going to roll over in the face of danger, they were going to rush in, fists swinging. The things could easily hurt or kill her wouldn't leave a scratch on them.

She wanted to ask him to stay with her. She _really_ did. But the words were caught in her throat and she was afraid if she opened her mouth, she would only start crying.

* * *

Favorite and Follow! And if you have a second, leave a review and tell me what you think!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Emmett:** I'm immortal, baby.  
**Rosalie: **Then how come you scream so much when you're in danger?  
**Emmett: **I never said I wasn't a drama queen.

.+.

**Emmett, standing on a high branch: **Jasper, I'm scared.  
**Jasper, holding out his arms:** Do you trust me, Emmett?  
**Emmett:** Yes.  
**Jasper:** Come on then!  
**Emmett:** [starts to fall backwards off branch]  
**Jasper:** [turning around and letting Emmett hit the floor, addressing everyone] Rule number one, never trust anybody.

.+.

**Bella**: Listen, have I ever put you into an unsafe situation?  
**Ava**: All the time!  
**Bella**: Then you should be used to it!

.+.

**Paul:** I just kind of feel like we're meant to be together, I mean, look at how fate throws us together like this!  
**Ava: **Paul, it's midnight and you're literally climbing through my window. Go home.  
**Paul:** Did you even hear me? It's fate.

.+.

**Bella:** I'm the one who got us into this mess, so I'll be the one who gets  
us much, much deeper into this mess.

.+.

**Jacob, singing to Bella:** I love you, bitch. *strums guitar*  
**Ava, gasping:** oh, my god.  
**Jacob**: I ain't ever gonna stop lovin' you, _biiiitch_. *strums guitar again*


	38. Chapter 38

**Title**: The Best Of Times: Trailing for Hope  
**Chapter 38**: All Alone When You Go, or Finalizing Doomsday Plans  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington, permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shape-shifter either. ...No Bella, or Edward-bashing. Follows storyline from "New Moon". _Despite my attempts to write a believable Paul/OC fic, there's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: I apologize for any grammatical errors, as I'm actually almost done editing the next chapter...I think. I could be wrong, don't hold me to that haha

P.S. If I missed something grammatical or something doesn't make sense, please PM me and let me know!

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, followed, and favorited! :)

* * *

_The next day. Wednesday. 4:09 PM. Swan House._

Ava tightened her hold on her phone, willing it to ring. Bella had gone with Edward and Jasper to think through how they were going to arrive at the site Friday morning; their scent was too strong to travel alone and without a plan, they wouldn't make it 5 feet from their home with newborns so nearby. Bella said she would call when a decision was made, but it felt like it had been hours since then.

Paul watched from the side, her behavior since Monday night was really starting to bother him; she was acting skittish before, but now, it seemed to have been amplified to an unhealthy degree. By the looks of it, he doubted she got _any_ sleep.

When the phone rang suddenly, Ava accepted the call without a second thought and pressed it to her ear. "Hey," she said breathlessly, her burning eyes widening a fraction. She needed to keep quiet, they were in the kitchen and if she spoke too loudly Charlie would overhear.

"Hey." Bella's voice drifted through, crackling slightly with the signal.

"So?" Ava asked, darting her eyes to glance at Paul.

"With Jake, my scent was gone." Bella explained. "Um, so, he's going to take me to the site on Friday."

"Just Jake?" Ava echoed.

"Or, all wolves, I guess," Bella corrected. "Their scent is strong enough to hide ours completely."

"So…" Ava glanced around quickly to make sure Charlie wasn't nearby before locking her eyes back on Paul leaning against the kitchen counter. "What? Jake has to carry both of us? Or, one at a time…"

"Um, Paul can, uh, carry you, and Jake, me. We can get there faster...they'll have to take different routes."

Ava nodded slowly, watching Paul's expression and mouthing, "_did you catch that?"_ She pointed at the phone. He rolled his eyes and raised his eyebrows. "_Yes_."

* * *

_6:32 PM. Swan House._

"I could die."

Ava frowned. "Don't say that."

"You're the one that's been saying it since we found out about all this shit," Paul pointed out, staring at her ceiling. He was in his favorite spot in Ava's room; stretched out on her bed, his arms folded behind his head and her soft pillows surrounding him.

"It's bad enough that _I'm_ the one saying it." Ava deepened her frown. "I don't need _you_ giving up on me, too."

"I'm just saying."

"Well, stop," she insisted. "Alice said that tomorrow she's coming and talk to Charlie about this weekend. I'll stay at Emily's, then in the morning we'll go to the site."

There was a silence that passed, Ava's thoughts beginning to whirl around at warp speed in her head again. But before they had a chance to overcome her, Paul spoke up.

"It's going to be a _bitch_ carrying you up there."

"Hey." Ava ruffled, straightening up in offense. "What's that supposed to mean."

He only gave her a taunting look and she tried suppressing the smile from spreading across. "_Jerk_, that's just mean. You really want my last memory of you, being you calling me fat?"

"It'll be a lasting thought." He lifted his body to sit up, tossing her a pillow. "So, we sharing?"

Ava raised her hand to catch the pillow, lowering it and supplying him with only a raised brow. "Uh, what?"

"It's almost my last night," Paul said matter-of-factly, as if that was enough of an explanation.

"And?"

"You really want my last memory of _you_, being you not putting out?"

Ava laughed loudly, covering her mouth to stifle the noise. "_Oh_, my god. Get out of my room."

* * *

_The next day. Thursday. 5:05 PM. Swan House._

As Alice was explaining to Charlie about her plans, Ava was trying to keep up with what she was saying, lest she need it later if Charlie asked more about it.

So far, all she got was: Alice wanted to have Ava and Bella over for a girl's getaway while her family was off on a camping trip.

Ava half-expected Charlie to shoot Alice down immediately; after the whole Italy debacle Charlie had soured with the Cullens, but Alice was a force to be reckoned with. With her bright smile and charming aura, it was hard to tell the pixie vampire no.

"…So, if it's all right with you, I would _love_ to have them over!" Alice finished, her loveliest smile gracing her lips.

Paul and Ava were right behind Charlie and, despite Charlie standing _right_ there, Ava was positive that Paul was still glaring at Alice over his head.

"Well." Charlie heaved a sigh, making the mistake of catching Alice's brilliant eyes. "…_Alright_. I guess it'll be fine." He opened his mouth to continue, a ringing noise flowing out instead of words.

Ava fumbled with her phone, reading Bella's name on the caller ID and she stepped around Charlie, Paul hot on her heels. "Sorry." She smiled sheepishly. "Be right back."

She walked out of the room in a flurry, exiting the house before accepting the call. "Hey," she greeted. Paul walked around her and leaned against the porch column.

"Hey, Alice there?" Bella asked, the white noise in the background indicating that she was in her truck.

"Yeah," Ava replied. "Everything sounds good so far. Where are you?"

"Almost home."

"Alright." Ava breathed out. "See you in a bit."

She ended the call and stared down at the dark screen for a few seconds. "Looks like this is really happening…"

"You'll be fine." Paul frowned, pushing himself off the post. "Even if you _are_ with the bloodsucker." Sam's pack had been training with the Cullens, learning as much as they could to succeed against the newborns. He was confident in their abilities and their imminent success.

Ava had opted against showing up to the training site, much to Bella's displeasure; going the first day only amplified her worry. Add in the fact that Paul kept brushing off her concerns, giving her a sharp migraine every time.

"Yeah, _I'll_ be fine," Ava countered, feeling the frustration bubbling in her chest. Paul was so dense sometimes that it astounded her how she could have fallen for someone so one-tracked. "What about you? Or Jacob? Or the whole _freaking_ pack? The Cullens?" She ticked off the names. "There's _way_ more people at risk here than just me."

"Who cares?"

She scoffed in indignation, undoing her arms and fighting the urge to stomp her foot. "What do you mean, who cares? _God_, you're so-"

The front door swung open and Ava snapped her mouth shut. Alice walked out with Charlie, both with wide smiles on their faces. Alice had managed to only wrinkle her petite nose slightly at Paul before turning back to Charlie, plastering on a sweet smile. "Yes, scout's honor."

In that moment Ava heard the unmistakable rumble of Bella's truck nearing. A second later it came into view, Bella parking in front of the house.

"Okay, Alice, don't be a stranger." Charlie chuckled, still addressing his fully-welcomed guest. Alice only widened her smile.

"Okay," she agreed and stepped down to meet Bella once Charlie re-entered the house. Ava followed Alice, ignoring Paul's scoff as she did so.

"Your alibi for the battle is all arranged."

"Really?" Bella asked, surprise in her voice. She glanced at Ava and turned to look at the small vampire.

Alice nodded in agreement. "I told your father that our whole family's going camping this whole week, so you and I and _Ava_ are having a sleepover at my house starting tonight. Charlie's going fishing, anyway."

"Charlie?" Bella asked, amusedly. "You guys are on a first name basis now?"

"Didn't you know?" Ava joked, a smirk forming on her face. "_Charlie_ and Alice are best friends now."

"_Me_," Alice said slowly, winking at Ava. "He likes."

After a second, she blinked innocently, looking at Bella and continuing, "..._actually_...you and Edward will have the house to yourself tonight."

Bella furrowed her eyebrows and looked at Ava in a silent inquiry. She thought that the two of them would have been together and leave tomorrow morning; she didn't want the chance of something happening without the other.

"I'm staying at Emily's," Ava answered. "Just for tonight." She inclined her head discreetly to the side, gesturing to their current scowling spectator.

"Oh." Bella deepened the line in her brows. "Um." She turned towards Alice, strange thoughts fluttering in her mind. "Like, alone?"

Alice chuckled, misinterpreting Bella's question with a positive note. "We're all going hunting. Powering up for the battle..._you're welcome_."

Ava could guess on her first try what was going through Bella's mind.

"I guess," Bella said breathlessly, blinking rapidly down at the ground in thought. "...I'm going to head inside." She met Ava's eyes. "_We_," she corrected. "_We_ should get some stuff together."

Alice took the hint and nodded, giving Bella a last sly smile before disappearing the blink of an eye.

Bella climbed the steps first, meeting Paul's stare and waving half-heartedly from her side. "Hey." She didn't _want_ to be friendly, much preferring to ignore him, but for Ava's sake she would try and be civil. That way, at least Bella wouldn't be the one to blame.

"Hi," he answered curtly, crossing his arms.

Realizing that this _thrilling_ conversation wasn't going to go anywhere, Ava nudged Bella towards the front door, poking at her lower back. "Can you grab my duffel from your room? I don't think you ever gave it back."

"Yeah," Bella quickly agreed, disappearing through the door.

"And _you_," Ava started, turning towards Paul slowly. "Gotta scat. I'll see you at Emily's later."

"I just got here." He immediately frowned.

Ava let out a scoff. "_Just_ got here? You've been here for, like, three hours."

"So."

"_Go_," Ava repeated slowly. "And I'll see you at Emily's. Sam is going to bar you from coming here." She shoved his shoulder towards the steps and he continued grumbling, even after taking off down the road.

Rolling her eyes at his dramatics, she barely walked into the house when Bella whizzed past her. "What?"

"Don't go into the kitchen," Bella advised, not slowing down a fraction up the stairs and into her room.

_Obviously_, Ava did exactly what Bella told her not to do.

And _unfortunately_, she was now caught in an awkward position because of it.

Of course, she didn't know what she was walking into. Charlie was running a hand down his face but once he noticed his niece eyeing him strangely, he groaned in exasperation. _This can't be happening._

"...Look Ava, I'm kind of on a roll here," Charlie started awkwardly. He definitely didn't think he was equipped to handle this; he had half-a-mind to call up his sister and demand her to tell Ava about this, but knowing her she would just go over the biology of it. In fact, she would probably just _glaze_ over it, not taking into account how much things have clearly changed in teenagers nowadays.

"You're...you're not, you know, _involved_ or anything, are you?"

Ava gave him a strange look, walking past the dining table to grab Charlie's sandwich on the counter. "What?"

"You know." He waved around emptily. "Like, are you taking…p-precautions or-or-"

"_Oh, my god_." Ava dropped the sandwich back the plate and shook her head, feeling the immediate heat rise in her cheeks. "No!"

Charlie's eyes snapped open wider and she backtracked, holding up her hands in defense. "No, no! I mean, yes!" She groaned loudly, shaking her head. "I mean, I'm not-not doing anything that would..._warrant_ precautions."

"You're not...you and that kid, Paul, aren't-"

Ava didn't even get the chance to notice that Charlie used Paul's actual name because she backed up into the fridge. "No! No, no, no." She continued shaking her head. "We're _friends_, I told you this."

"Well, that _was_ a while ago," Charlie pointed out, clearly just as uncomfortable with the situation as she was. "Didn't know if that was still true."

"_Still_ true," Ava insisted, inching towards the doorway. "If that changes, I'll let you know," she finished brusquely, scampering out of the kitchen.

Seems like Charlie was giving Bella…'_the talk_'...and Bella high-tailed it out of there.

_I need to start listening to her more,_ Ava thought with a shudder.

* * *

Favorite and Follow! And if you have a second, leave a review and tell me what you think! Also, just as a side note, all of my university classes are being switched over to online because of the posed health risk of being in large groups and I don't know how I feel about it.

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

[talking about the newborn battle]

**Ava:** I think the glass is half empty.  
**Paul:** I think the glass if half full.  
**Ava:** I think you're full of shit.

.+.

**Charlie: **It's time to talk to you girls about the birds and the bees.  
**Ava and Bella, cringing:** Oh, no…  
**Charlie:** They're disappearing at an alarming rate.

.+.

**Paul:** Are you alright? You didn't sleep at all last night.  
**Ava:** I got a solid eight minutes.  
**Ava:** Not consecutively but it's fine. You're not even that blurry.

.+.

**Paul**: Hey, Ava, let's bang.  
**Paul**: Oops, I meant hang.  
**Paul**:  
**Paul**: No, I didn't.

.+.

**Charlie**: I need you to be in charge while I'm at work.  
**Ava**: I'm your girl.  
**Charlie**: You have to be alert.  
**Ava**: I'm kinda your girl.  
**Charlie**: And keep Bella out of trouble.  
**Ava**: You need another girl.  
[_alternatively_]  
**Charlie**: I need you to be in charge while I'm at work.  
**Bella**: I'm your girl.  
**Charlie**: You have to act wisely.  
**Bella**: I'm kinda your girl.  
**Charlie**: And keep Ava out of trouble.  
**Bella**: You need another girl.  
_(in conclusion, don't leave them alone, ever.)_

.+.

**Paul**: When you said you could make some 'magic' in bed, this isn't what I had in mind.  
**Ava**: Is this your card?  
**Paul, softly**: Holy shit.


	39. Chapter 39

**Title**: The Best Of Times: Trailing for Hope  
**Chapter 39**: Snowball Effect, or Hopefully Tomorrow Brings Sunshine  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington, permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shape-shifter either. ...No Bella, or Edward-bashing. Follows storyline from "New Moon". _Despite my attempts to write a believable Paul/OC fic, there's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: I apologize for any grammatical errors, as I am on a mandatory 14-day quarantine.

P.S. If I missed something grammatical or something doesn't make sense, please PM me and let me know!

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, followed and favorited! :)

* * *

_The next day. Friday. 7:09 AM. Emily Young and Sam Uley's House._

She had been up for hours, staring at the ceiling fan and wondering what it would feel like if it unhinged and fell on top of her. Morbid thoughts for 7 A.M. but Ava couldn't help it. Anything sounded better than being hunted down by blood-thirsty vampires and being bled dry.

"You know, I wouldn't have minded the mess in the guest room."

Ava lifted herself off the cushions and turned her head to watch Emily who just walked into the kitchen. She feigned rubbing at her eyes, hoping that the spidering red veins wouldn't give her away. "It's _your_ house."

"And _you're_ a guest," she shot back before opening the fridge. "That's why we _have_ a guest room. I don't know why you insisted on staying in here."

"I fell asleep," Ava defended.

"It's not because it's closest to the front door?" Emily raised an eyebrow, shaking her head slightly when Ava only answered in a sheepish smile. "Trying to make a break for it?"

"No." The younger girl frowned. Ava ambled up slowly, trying to pop her back. She felt stiff and tense, and her head felt as though it was full of cotton. The days of lack of sleep were finally beginning to wear her down drastically.

_Before_ she found out about the army she was having some trouble, but she was beginning to manage it. Now these past four days, it seemed like any time she shut her eyes for sleep or otherwise, her mind flashed with any scenario that led to everyone dying at the impending battle.

"What time are you leaving?" Emily asked, pouring herself a glass of water. She took a sip and eyed the Ava standing up, swaying slightly before righting herself.

"Now?" Ava answered, looking around for her bag. Spotting it beside the coffee table, she grabbed it and tossed it on the opposite couch. She began folding the blankets that were laid atop her during the night and straightening up her sleeping space. "I think, at least. Bella said _early_, so I think she should be leaving soon too, if she hasn't already."

"And you'll be safe?"

"Hope so." Ava said blankly.

Emily moved her mouth to the side in thought before clasping her hands together on the counter. "You don't want to stay here? Brady and Collin will be guarding this place," she finally suggested, leaning forward.

Ava caught her hopeful stare, grateful for her generosity. "On the off chance of some newborn or something catching my scent or whatever, I don't want you getting hurt. I mean, it's bad enough that _I'm_ involved."

"Kim will be here," she pressed. "She'll be waiting for Jared."

"I'll be okay," Ava replied carefully, giving her a small smile. "Edward is up there. And Jake is taking Bella up, so I'll see him for a bit." As much as she tried to keep up the brave façade, it felt as though it was slowly splintering away.

A swift, single knock at the front door startled both women and a split second later, it slid opened enough for Paul's head to peek through. He glanced at the both of them, opening the door fully when he realized that sneaking in wasn't necessary.

"Knocking," Emily observed plainly, chuckling. Over the time that they've known each other, the entirety of the pack had developed the habit of barging into the house–it wasn't until Sam's irritation got the best of him and he demanded that they knock before they walk inside.

Now, only giving a half-hearted warning before strolling inside.

"Morning, Em," he greeted, stepping further into the house. He let out a discreet sigh, taking in Ava's form; he had stayed at the house for most of the night, only leaving when Sam got up in the early hours of the morning. Sam was gathering the rest of the pack and Paul was just now back to take Ava to the site.

He didn't get much sleep during the night, continuously waiting for Ava's breathing to even and her heart rate to slow. When it _did_ happen to do so, it felt like only a second passed before it was raised again, Ava being startled out of her nightmares. Along with taking the smaller couch for the night, he was metaphorically–and literally–on edge.

"Ready?" He asked, moving closer.

She nodded quickly, yanking on a jacket; she was already in a long-sleeve and leggings, figuring if it got to be too cold, she would just layer up. Paul grabbed her backpack, throwing it on and slinging on her duffel. Ava turned towards Emily, hoping that the smile on her face was a comforting one. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Be careful." Emily bit her lip, she met Paul's eyes, her eyes craving security. "Make sure she's safe."

"She will be," he promised. "Ava, Sam, the pack…we'll be okay."

Emily gave him a feeble smile; she wasn't happy being left behind, but there wasn't anything that she could do. Despite being with Sam for as long as she had, she never experienced this amount of danger surrounding her. It felt like Sam was being yanked from her arms at every corner, and all she could do was wait around for him to come back to her.

"What time will Kim get here?" Ava asked, concerned about leaving Emily alone for too long. She hovered closer to her and Emily raised her shoulders weakly.

"Soon, but you two should get going," she urged, grabbing Ava's hand and tightening it comfortingly. "The sooner you go, the...the _safer_ you'll be."

Ava nodded once, backing up a step and following Paul outside where he was waiting. She stared out into the surrounding forest, the trees beginning to merge into one blur. The plan was to trek through the reservation before finding the path that led to the site; Paul had hiked the trail repeatedly, searching for the easiest and safest way to get Ava there, as well as the toughest to track. Even going through a few small brooks just to lose the scent even more.

"Let's go." He narrowed his eyes into the deep brush, darting them around at the various noises that the forest made. Ava agreed, but remained silent, beginning to walk towards a small opening in the trees. When she didn't feel or hear him follow, she turned around and met his open and waiting embrace.

Staring at him strangely, she eyed his face before glancing at his outstretched arms. "…What?"

"I have to carry you, don't I?" Paul asked. Despite the grave situation, he couldn't stop the smug smile from his face when she tried waving him off airily.

"Yeah, but, like, _now_?" Ava tried inching away. It's not that she didn't _want_ to, quite the contrary actually. It was just that having the offer right in front of her was making her skittish. "We can just wait till-"

"Practice," he insisted, cutting her off and taking a few steps closer.

She remained still, continuing her defense, "how is it _practice_, if we're actually leaving-"

Paul blew out an annoyed breath, moving closer; before she could blink, he plucked her off the ground easily. "What are-!" She wrapped her arms around him tightly, her knees trying draw themselves towards her chest instinctively.

"We have to go," he said simply, already walking towards the designated path. "And you walk slow."

The unfamiliar feeling of being carried was causing her to feel self-conscious, but she tried brushing off the feeling, concentrating on the crunch of the twigs and leaves as Paul strode confidently forward.

A few minutes passed before Ava's small voice echoed through, "…am I heavy?"

Paul snorted in amusement. "Seriously? That's what you're worried about?"

"Well, I don't want to think of anything else." Ava jutted out her lip in a pout. "I'd rather think of whether or not you're going to drop me."

"You're not heavy." He rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to drop you."

* * *

_7:56 AM. Mountainside._

"Are we sure this is safe?" Ava asked, her awkward feelings had dissolved after over a half hour of being carried. She clawed at Paul's neck to keep herself from falling down the steep rocks.

His chest rumbled slightly from laughter. "It's fine."

"It's _fine,_ until you-." As she spoke, he jostled her frame suddenly, feigning dropping his arms and Ava's hold tightened around his neck. "Stop! That isn't funny!"

The pair were scaling the side of a mountain. Well..._Paul_ was scaling the side of the mountain. Ava was just along for the ride and _acutely_ aware that out of the two of them, she was more likely to actually die from a fall.

_Why couldn't I have had super-healing or...whatever it's called_, Ava thought, casting her eyes to the sky to avoid looking down.

She couldn't think very clearly, and it definitely wasn't just because of their proximity but also due to the fact that the air was becoming progressively thinner the higher they got.

"You need to calm down."

"Calm down?" Ava scoffed, still staring up. "Are you kidding me. Do you have _any_ idea how insane everything is right now?"

She didn't give him a chance to respond before she continued, "there's a newborn vampire army that Victoria is _probably_ involved in, and she wants to murder Bella. They have _my_ scent too, because I borrowed her stupid shirt. Everyone is fighting, _including_ you. _And_ you're climbing the side of a very steep mountain and you're telling me to calm down. _You_ calm down!" As Ava ranted she began to move around and gesture with her hand wildly.

"Stop moving!"

"I can't!" Ava shouted. "Because everyone is going to _die_!"

"Ava-"

"I'm serious," she insisted, lowering her voice and shifting her position in his arms. "If someone gets hurt, it's going to be my fault."

He faltered when she spoke, unaware of how serious her worries had been. "...It won't be your fault. None of this is your fault, and _nothing_ is going to happen, so stop saying that."

"You don't know that," Ava mumbled, concentrating on the clouds above their heads.

* * *

_8:12 AM. Campsite._

"Why don't you just stay." Ava frowned, the newly-set panic weighing down on her heavily. She felt like a little girl, speaking in a small, quiet voice and the past embarrassment of asking this of him was completely gone. "Edward is staying for Bella."

They had reached the site a few minutes ago and Ava had refused to release the grip on his wrist; besides, if he truly wanted her to let go then he could easily make her.

"I can't stay." He tactfully avoided her eyes, suspecting that if he saw them he would give in immediately. He tried ignoring the spikes in her heart rate, remembering that this was for her own good. She was safe. Seth was here. And if something goes wrong, he'd be there in a heartbeat.

Paul wasn't sure if he was saying this for her sake or his, but he needed to believe it. "I'm third-in-command. If something happens to Sam or Jared-"

"Nothing will happen." Ava cut off quickly. "You keep saying that everything is going to be fine and you guys are strong enough to take them on, so what difference would it make?"

"_I'm_ the difference," he spoke confidently, focusing on the strand of hair that was flying over the top of her head. He was trying to ease her fears but he knew that it was in vain.

Paul heard the familiar scrape of Ava's charm dragging along the silver chain and he felt a pang of guilt hit him. Before he succumbed to the overpowering urge to remain where he was, Ava spoke again, "just until tomorrow. Just till then."

"I can't." He sighed heavily, feeling a wrench in his chest as he pried her fingers from his wrist. If she kept the hold on him, he'd never leave. "I can't stay up here, I have to head back down."

Ava stayed silent, the cool air running through her fingers now that Paul's overly-warm wrist was no longer in her grasp. She absorbed his words, his eventual desertion hitting her ruthlessly; she couldn't believe how much in denial she had been in until this point. What she thought was a harmless crush that would melt away after some time, was now one of the only things on her mind.

It was never her intention to grow so attached. If she had foreseen this happening, she would have _never_ gone to Jacob's house that day. She would have _never_ gone to that damn bonfire that Embry had insisted she go to.

Then at least she wouldn't feel the _ache_ in her chest when she thought of anyone getting hurt. She felt a pressure in her eyes and she shot her hand out again, clenching her hand tighter around his wrist.

"Hey," he said quietly. "It's fine. I'll be back and making fun of you for worrying soon."

"This isn't funny." Ava frowned, tightening her free hand into a fist. "This is dangerous and you won't _listen_ to me. I can't do anything from here. If something happens to you, I have to hear it from Seth or Edward, and I can't do anything from this stupid mountain."

"What what exactly _would_ you be planning on doing? No offense, but you're not exactly the strongest." He couldn't resist a small joke, and Ava released his wrist in frustration. She turned on her heel, prepared to stomp off and let him go.

But before she could walk away he grabbed her wrist to whirl her back around, tugging her quickly towards him. He caught her before her face smashed in his chest, having been taken by surprise.

Ava still had her arms beside her, appreciating the contrast between the biting wind and his intense body heat. She could have fallen asleep right then and there, and she almost did, feeling her eyes droop unconsciously. It could have been the limited oxygen from being so high up or her own imagination, maybe even the fact that she had her eyes closed, but she swore he pressed his lips against her forehead as he pulled back.

She wanted to complain and tug him back, the cold air nipping at her from every angle. Ava opened her eyes slowly, meeting his own that were finally focused on her fully.

"I'll be back soon." With that final promise, he backed up before phasing and jumping back through the steep rocks.

* * *

_8:27 AM. Campsite._

The second that Paul left, Ava was left to her own thoughts. …And Edward, but he was busy scanning the area for Jacob and Bella to arrive.

She felt like crying–something she definitely wasn't used to. She wasn't overly emotional but with the current situation, it was impossible to have anything else on her mind. She was huddled next to the tent, her knees drawn to her chest and perched on a large rock. She only glanced up when she heard Jacob and Bella approaching; as soon as Bella was let down from Jake's arms, Edward enveloped her into a hug. As he did so, Jacob caught her eye and gave her a nod of acknowledgment that Ava only returned with a tight smile.

She remained seated and continued staring at the trio, overhearing their conversation.

"Thank you," Edward said, genuinely grateful.

"You should get back before the storm hits," Bella suggested, leaning into Edward for support.

"No, I'm staying," Jacob insisted.

When he said that, Ava's eyebrows shot up. "What?" She called loudly, diverting the attention to her. "You're not going down?"

"You can use my connection to the pack to keep tabs on what's going on," he explained quickly. Ava pressed on, "Seth is close, though."

"You _trying_ to get rid of me?" Jacob teased.

Ava allowed an uneasy smile to replace her frown. "Shouldn't you…I dunno, help or something?"

"It's fine, Ave," Jacob insisted. "I'll be heading down tomorrow."

She reluctantly quieted down, shifting so her knees were pressed more tightly against her. The wind was beginning to pick up, but she couldn't bring herself to go into the tent. She released a long, deep breath, watching the swirls of the misty cloud fade away after a second.

Resting her forehead against her knees, she looked down, trying to keep herself occupied with thinking of _anything_ else.

* * *

_6:02 PM. Campsite._

As the light of day dwindled away, the wind got much harsher. Ava was blowing warm air into her mitted hands in a feeble attempt to stimulate some feeling back into them; she was standing near the edge of the cliff, watching the rays of the sun that were slowly, but surely, disappearing with every passing minute.

"You good?" She heard from behind her, recognizing the slight, lazy tone that she was very familiar with.

"Debating on jumping off this cliff. You think I'll survive?"

"Normally, I wouldn't take you seriously, but why don't _weee_…" Jacob came up to her side, gently nudging her back a few steps before continuing, "…get away from the cliff, huh?"

Ava let him push her back, shutting her eyes briefly and only hearing the crunch of her boots on the snowy ground. "What time are you leaving?"

"Why do you want me to leave so badly?" He countered, only slightly offended at her urging.

"Everyone is preparing for the end of the world," Ava replied pointedly, crossing her arms tightly against her. "And you're up here."

"The pack is strong," he insisted. "They're all going to be fine."

"_Fine_," Ava finally mocked, annoyed at hearing that word the past four days. "That's what everyone keeps saying."

"Because it's true," he teased lightly, leaning into her playfully. "If it was as serious as you're making it out to be, then I would be down there right now."

"But you _are_ going down there," she pointed out.

"Until _tomorrow_," he corrected.

"Jake." Ava sighed heavily. "I don't want to argue."

"The only one arguing here is you."

She didn't reply and he folded his arms behind his head, giving in to her–in his opinion–unwarranted worries. "What is it that scares you so much?"

"Dying," she replied dryly.

"You're not going to die." He rolled his eyes discreetly.

"I may not die, but what about you?" She turned her head to look at him fully, eyebrows drawn in annoyance. "And everyone else?'

"What, your _boyfriend_?" He replied wryly, unable to keep the petulance from lacing itself.

She didn't bother correcting him, exhaling heavily and looking back forward. "You're both acting like little kids. I'm not a toy, Jake."

He scoffed. "_I_ know that, but _he_ doesn't."

"You _both_ need to chill out," Ava suggested, unaware of the irony of her statement–though, Jacob caught on and he breathed out an immediate laugh.

"You're telling us to chill out, when _you're_ the one freezing your ass off."

Ava smiled, tightening her hold around herself. She shifted from foot to foot, not only because of her nerves, but in an attempt to keep up her circulation.

"Go into the tent." Jacob frowned, noticing the movement. "You're going to get sick or…freeze. Or, you know, _die_ if you fall from here."

"I'm good." She lolled her head to the side to stare at him, not able to suppress the shudder that wracked her body at that inopportune moment. He gave her a deadpanned look before wrapping an arm around her shoulder, holding back laughter when she sighed dreamily at the warmth.

"_Come_ on." He maneuvered them to turn around, heading back towards the tent. "Pretty sure everyone will kill me if there's a hair out of place."

"That's dramatic, no one will _kill_ you." She trudged along with him, feeling the sensations beginning to return back into the tip of her nose.

Jacob faltered in step, stopping Ava from continuing as she was perfectly content under the furnace of his arm. "What?"

"That's exactly what I said."

"What?" Ava repeated.

"Remember?" He began moving slower to continue the conversation. "First time you saw me phase. You freaked out and asked if they were going to kill you."

Ava hummed at the memory. "Huh, that's funny."

* * *

_9:09 PM. Campsite._

"I should have chosen a sight lower down." Edward frowned, barely audible through Ava's chattering teeth.

The snowfall was whipping around fiercely outside the confines of the tent, and despite Bella being pressed tightly against her body, the temperature was nearly unbearable. Ava's back was facing Edward, her arms wrapped around Bella's shoulders and Bella's arms wrapped around her waist.

Bella bit back the whimper in her voice as she reassured Edward. "No, it's fine. We're okay." But Ava could feel the tighten in Bella's arms as she futilely tried to induce their shared body heat.

He continued insisting on trying to find another solution and Ava must have dozed off…or blacked out…because when she came to, she heard the zipper to the tent open. She didn't want to move, fearful that it would cause the glacial air to settle in any crevice available.

"I can't sleep with Ava's teeth clattering going on."

Ava glared at the fluttering wall of the tent despite Jacob not being able to see her. "Sh-sh-shut u-u-p."

"Forget it," Edward said bitingly. Ava didn't know what he was referring to, but right now, all she could feel was her burning earlobes and stiffened legs. "O-k-kay. I th-think I-I'm going to-to p-pass out." She managed to say, angling her head to press her cheek onto the top of Bella's dark hair.

"I think they'll need their toes someday," Jacob said pointedly. "And let's face it...I _am_ hotter than you."

She heard a slight scuffle before Jacob ground out, "_get_. Your hand. _Off_ me."

Ava couldn't find the energy to try and stop their argument and she shut her eyes, focusing on keeping her breathing even.

"Keep your hands off _her_," Edward bit back.

Bella spoke, her voice muffled from Ava's heavy jacket. "Don't fight."

"I'm getting to Ava," Jacob snapped finally. "She's _going_ to freeze, back off."

"S-s-so is Be-Bella," Ava chattered out.

Suddenly, a butterfly of warmth surrounded her back and she breathed out at the sensation, her numb limbs immediately gaining a semblance of feeling back into them. Jacob had wrapped his arms around her midsection, overlaying Bella's much smaller arms, and by extension, he reached over to pull Bella tighter towards Ava.

Bella reacted instantly, the heat transferring slowly to her. Once both girls finally gained back the full feeling in their bodies, they fell into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

Favorite and Follow! And if you have a second, leave a review and tell me what you think!

e.o.c.n. I know everything is pretty crazy right now in the world. BUT, please, please, please be safe! No matter where you are in the world (though, in the U.S. especially) wash your hands, don't touch your face and don't leave your home unless necessary! I honestly wasn't taking this too, too seriously until it hit close to home; at my work one of my coworkers had symptoms and now everyone who worked at any point with this individual is on a mandatory 14-day quarantine.

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter:_

**Ava:** Before any brush with death, I like to make sure I have all the essentials packed and ready. Such as water…food…first-aid kit…  
**Ava:** *picture of Paul falls out*  
**Ava, nervous & tearing apart picture:** Picture of totally platonic friend whom I have no romantic feelings for whatsoever...

.+.

**Ava:** We're all going to die!**  
Bella: **Think positively.**  
Ava: **We're all going to die quickly!

.+.

**Ava:** What if the only reason we can't walk through mirrors is that our reflection blocks us.  
**Bella:** What if they're protecting us though? What if they know that the other side is horrifying and painful and they are trying to keep us from crossing over.  
**Ava:** I must be on the wrong side of the mirror then.  
**Bella:** Maybe you're the reflection-  
**Jacob, trying to sleep**: I swear to fucking god if you both don't shut the fuck up.

.+.

**Ava:** I've prepared a safety briefing for you to entirely ignore.  
**Paul:** Which I will.

.+.

**Ava**: Come on, I wasn't that delirious.  
**Bella**: You tried to find a highlighter to highlight my face because you told me I was important.  
**Ava, starts crying**: But you are!

.+.

**Ava, to Paul**: There's no denying that I have developed feelings for you that can't be explained in any other way. I briefly considered that I have a brain parasite, but that seems even more far-fetched.

.+.

**Jacob**: Are you okay?  
**Ava**: No. Absolutely not. I cannot stress how not fucking okay I am.

.+.

**Paul**: *kisses Ava's cheek*  
**Ava**: What was that?  
**Paul**: Affection.  
**Ava**: Disgusting.  
**Paul**:  
**Ava:  
****Paul**:  
**Ava**: Do it again.


	40. Chapter 40

**Title**: The Best Of Times: Trailing for Hope  
**Chapter 40**: A Final Act Of Brilliance, or Blood Never Forgets  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington, permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shape-shifter either. ...No Bella, or Edward-bashing. Follows storyline from "New Moon". _Despite my attempts to write a believable Paul/OC fic, there's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: I apologize for any grammatical errors, as it's finals season and I already feel like crying 90% of the time.

P.S. If I missed something grammatical or something doesn't make sense, please PM me and let me know!

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, followed, and favorited! :)

* * *

_The next day. Saturday. 12:15 PM. Campsite._

Ava had awoken before Bella who was still bundled up warmly under the blankets that had been thrown on the girls during the night. She definitely slept better than she had in weeks, the delicious warmth relaxed her tense muscles but the nightmares hadn't stopped.

She had opened her eyes long before she left the tent but Ava had remained inside for a while, hoping that everything would fade away into a terrible dream. Her mind was plagued with any and all scenarios that left her alone. Alone in life. Alone in Forks. Alone on this _stupid_ mountain.

When she _did_ decide to leave the tent, she covered herself from head to toe. Shifting her feet, she heard the crunch of the snow below her boots. Nearly every inch of her body was draped in layers and layers of protection, yet, she was still convulsing with tremors of fear and wintry cold. The temperature seemed to have risen a bit since yesterday, as it wasn't nearly as biting.

She was admiring the blanket of white snow that surrounded her. Despite the circumstances, snow would always make her feel better; it comforted her, the pure, unblemished flakes that layered atop each other and made the world that much better.

"Hey, Seth." Ava smiled, noticing the small - but still rather large by any other standards - wolf hovering close by.

He stalked closer, his eyes tracking over her frigid form and nudging her hand with his head when they were inches apart. She placed a gloved hand atop, running it across the wide expanse. "Like being in charge?" She asked, a teasing note to her voice.

Seth always complained about wanting to play a larger part in the pack, so she could only assume he was ecstatic with his post.

He breathed out a single breath through his nose, the excitement shining in his brown eyes. "Everyone good?" Ava treaded carefully.

He lowered his head once in assurance. "Good." Ava let out a small breath in relief, continuing to stroke the top of his head.

Seth backed up a step, her hold falling and he eyed behind her. Ava heard the zipper of the tent and she turned around, immediately pressing her lips into a disapproving line. "Bella, you're going to get sick." She was only donning a plaid long-sleeve and a pair of jeans.

"I won't," she insisted, stepping closer. "Hey, Seth."

Seth blinked, backing up a few more steps, sensing Edward approaching.

Bella glanced around, addressing Edward once she saw him. "Where's Jacob? Did he already…?"

"Not yet. He's checking to see if the woods are clear before he goes," Edward explained.

Ava felt a small knock against her thigh and she looked down, meeting Seth's eyes again. After observing her for a second, he brushed past her fully and escaped through the rocks to the side.

She watched him go, turning back towards the pair in front of her. Edward and Bella seemed to be in a world of their own and Ava trudged towards a rock off to the side, opting to sit there while they spoke. She flexed her fingers back and forth in her mittens before pulling her hat down further to cover her ears, save they turn into a shade of red from the nipping wind.

"You're marrying him?"

Her head snapped back toward the couple, now joined with Jake. He was breathing heavily, glaring at them. Ava lifted herself shakily from the rock, taking a slow step towards the trio.

"Jake, I…" Bella walked desperately towards him before whirling around to look at Edward, an accusing and betrayed look on her face. "You knew he was listening!"

The growing tension had Ava frozen; if she tried to calm Jacob while his emotions were on the rise and he phased, the act would either hurt or kill her.

"He deserves to know," Edward defended, eyes locked on Bella.

Ava was a little confused, but not surprised. She always figured that they would get married, she just didn't think it would happen before Bella was actually _turned_. Bella and Edward were as inevitable as rain in Forks. Honestly, she was a little shocked that Jacob hadn't assumed it would happen eventually.

Jacob turned on his heel, stalking off. "Jacob-" Ava started, staking a step towards him. Bella yelled, moving quickly after him. "Jake, stop!"

After seeing Bella, Ava paused, knowing the situation didn't call for her interference. She instead walked towards Edward. "Nice," she said simply, watching his pained expression still staring after their disappeared forms.

"What did you expect me to do?"

"_Not_ get him angry?" Ava suggested. It took her a second before continuing, curious, "when did you...?"

"Propose?" Edward asked, already assuming the question. "Yesterday."

She pursed her lips. "You didn't have to say anything now, you know. Bella already decided to marry you, you didn't have to rub it in Jacob's face." As she finished, her voice had taken a sarcastic tone.

As a final jab, Ava continued, mumbling and walking towards the tent, knowing full-well he could hear her. "Seriously. For being so old, you have some growing up to do."

* * *

_1:37 PM. Campsite._

When Bella eventually ambled back, Ava decided to slink away from the camp to give her and Edward some privacy. She wasn't sure what happened but by the look on Bella's face, she figured it wasn't good.

She was _tired_ and she had enough to worry about at the moment. She was back at the edge of the cliff, blowing out her breath in puffs of white smoke. She didn't know how much time must had passed but Ava was lost in her thoughts looking at the wide stretch of the mountain below them; there were jagged rocks with steep drop-offs and it looked terrifying. Seth emerged again out of the trees beside her, grazing the back of her legs to signal his presence and she jumped up, startled by the feeling.

She smiled, seeing the boy, and gliding her hand on his neck. He inclined his head towards Bella and Edward who were still speaking and she took the hint, following close behind. Seth let out a low growl, catching Edward's attention.

"…It's starting," Edward said somberly, stopping mid-sentence.

Ava felt a churn in her stomach, a spasm of dread running through her. She unconsciously tightened her hand around Seth's fur and he whined lowly, not liking the uncomfortable pinch. Releasing her hand, Ava gave him an apologetic smile as Seth turned back towards Edward, opening up his mental link to his pack.

"Jacob just got there." Edward darted his eyes around as if he were physically at the battle. "He's good."

He remained silent and Ava inched forward. "Is the pack…"

"Good," Edward assured. Suddenly, he furrowed his brow. "Paul-"

"What?" Ava cut him off, feeling her breath stall and stepping forward to see his face clearer. "What happened?" A few seconds passed without an answer and Ava stepped even closer. "Answer-"

"Fine," he breathed out finally. "He's good, him and Emmett."

She let out the breath that she had been holding, nodding her head. Keeping her eyes trained on Edward's face, Ava searched for any minuscule change.

Bella was doing the same. "Someone's hurt?" She asked suddenly.

Edward's eyes sprang up and he looked around. "She's close. I can hear her thoughts." He turned towards Seth. "Seth, go."

The young wolf's eyes darted around and he moved to Ava's side, growling lowly. "What?" Ava asked, her voice raising an octave and feeling her heart drop. "Who?"

Edward didn't answer, only pushing Bella back further behind him and crouching lower into a fighting position. "Edward-" Bella began, Edward interrupting her. "Seth, go _now_."

"Go," Ava quickly repeated Edward's words, the tremble in her voice now glaringly evident. Now wasn't the time to question. She could feel the change in everyone, and could feel their time ticking down rapidly. "_Now_, Seth."

Seth continued hesitating beside her before coming to a resolve and disappearing through the trees. Edward grabbed Ava's upper arm roughly, whipping her around behind him; Bella was clutching Edward's other arm in fear, her eyes scanning around the surrounding area.

Ava swallowed, the pressure behind her eyes collecting quickly. All she could see was the white snow that was enveloped all around them, the untarnished color feeling misplaced for the situation.

"She knew we weren't there," Edward explained quickly. "But she caught my scent. She knew you'd be with me."

She wanted to control the waver in her voice but she couldn't. Ava knew exactly who they were talking about. "What about me? What if-"

"It doesn't matter," Edward said. "She'll get rid of anyone to get to Bella. Hiding you two together may have been a...bad call."

"_May_?" Ava hissed, the acid bubbling in her tone. "It was a terrible one, who even thought of this stupid-?"

"Carlisle." He cut off, keeping his grasp tight around her arm. "It was deemed better to have you together than have to worry about separate locations. We didn't anticipate Victoria catching my scent."

"She found us," Bella breathed out.

"She's not alone." Edward narrowed her eyes into the forest. As he finished, a man calmly stepped out behind a nearby tree. Ava recognized his face. _The missing flyer. Riley._

The red-eyed man stepped closer and Bella inched back behind Edward. She reached her free hand towards Ava, the latter grasping it quickly and yanking her discreetly towards her.

"Riley, listen to me," Edward ground out, finally releasing Ava's arm. She felt a pulsating ache where his hand had been and despite the situation, she could only think of the blossoming bruise she was going to leave. "Victoria's just using you to distract me. She knows I'll kill you."

Ava gasped suddenly, seeing a flash of red hair out of the corner of her eye. She whipped her head towards the nearby hill; Victoria had her eyes flying from Edward and Riley, gauging the position she was in.

"In fact," Edward continued, still trying to reason his way into Riley. "She'll be glad she doesn't have to deal with you anymore."

"Don't listen, Riley." Victoria's melodic voice cut through the air like a knife, and Ava felt a shudder run through her like a jolt of electricity. Victoria had her attention solely on Riley. "I told you about their mind tricks."

"I can read her mind," Edward insisted, seeing a semblance of hesitation in Riley's eyes. "So, I know what she thinks of you."

"He's lying," Victoria ground out.

Edward went in for the kill. "She only created you and this army to avenge her true mate, James." Riley looked puzzled and he cocked his head at this information. "That's the only thing she cares about. Not you." When Edward finished, Riley turned towards Victoria awaiting an explanation.

"There's only you," she tried, a faux tender expression on her face. "You know that."

Riley looked at ends with himself. Edward continued, seeing a chance. "_Think_ about it. You're from Forks. You know the area. That's the only reason she chose you. She doesn't love you."

"Riley," Victoria spoke enchantingly, averting his attention to her. "Don't let him do this to us. You know I love you."

Ava thought that Edward had gotten through to Riley, but Riley only locked his eyes back onto Edward and stalked forward. A small smirk formed on his lips. "You're dead."

The next few seconds happened so quickly, that Ava didn't have time to process what was going on. Riley lunged forward– who he was aiming for, Ava was unsure of–but a wolf came bounding out from behind her and Bella. It flew through the air, pulling Riley to the side violently at the last second.

Her mind instinctively went to Paul or Jake, but it was Seth who was going up against the newborn vampire. Ava felt trepidation bite at her, her body completely frozen in place; she couldn't tear her eyes from the scene and watched as Seth bit off Riley's hand, Riley howling in excruciating pain.

Victoria, sensing that this was a losing battle, catapulted herself onto the snowy floor and attempted to take off deeper into the forest. She ignored the desire, the _scent_, of the cowering humans that was enveloping her appetizingly.

Bella had an iron grip on Ava's hand and as Edward stepped forward in challenge to the red-haired vampire, she leaned into her cousin's side for support. She could feel Ava's trembling hands and Bella tightened her hold.

"You won't get another chance like this again," Edward called and Victoria stopped in her tracks.

Ava didn't know what Edward was playing at but she _really_ hoped he knew what he was doing. He continued, "you want her."

"You want me to feel the pain you felt when I killed James, when I tore him to pieces...when I turned him into ash…" As he tried instigating a fight, Victoria got progressively more and more heated, shaking vigorously with anger. "...When I turned him into _nothing_."

With a roar of anguish, Victoria belted forward and pushed her and Edward into the snow.

She swiftly got to her feet, moving forward in the blink of an eye and reached an arm towards the pair of humans. The scent was coming off them in waves, overwhelming her.

Ava tried yanking Bella back, but Edward got to Victoria first, placing a hand on her shoulder and throwing her backwards.

Edward immediately grabbed Bella's hand, pulling Ava along towards a smaller clearing. Ava could hear the growls and snarls of Seth fighting Riley; she had faith that Seth could hold his own, but she still hoped that it would be a quick fight and he would come out unscathed.

Edward sprinted as fast as he could with the two girls holding him back and upon stopping, gave Bella a knowing look before taking off to Victoria.

With her unwavering grip, Bella propelled the two forward; in an attempt to move faster, Ava quickly shed the two layers that she had pulled on that morning as she ran, linking her hand back with Bella's. Now only clad in jeans and a short-sleeved t-shirt, the wind was freezing her quickly.

Suddenly Bella faltered, turning around to see what was going on.

"Bella!" Ava shouted, trying to yank her farther from the fighting. She heard a deafening crack and she whirled around to see the tree that Victoria had perched herself in was now tumbling to the ground.

Victoria sprung up from the snow and fallen branches and breathed heavily, her eyes locked on them. The sheer intensity of her eyes caused fear to well in Ava's throat and she frantically jerked at Bella's hand in another desperate attempt.

Just as Victoria began speeding up, Edward jumped over the remnants of the tree and tackled her down, slamming her repeatedly.

Ava suddenly heard Seth's sharp whine and she snapped her head in the direction of the noise.

He was lying limply against the rock, Riley standing over him.

"Seth!" Ava screamed, her voice cracking with horror. Riley jerked his head in the direction and scanned the landscape quickly, eyes landing on Edward and Victoria still struggling. He ran forward, jumping and landing on Edward to tumble them both onto the ground, freeing Victoria from underneath.

Ava could sense Bella beginning to get hysterical, especially when Victoria wrapped her forearm around Edward's neck from behind while he was slamming Riley's head into the rocks.

Bella was breathing rapidly and she backed up a step, scanning the ground fervently. She released her cousin's hand, her bare fingers searching the numbing snow. She needed to find something. She needed to _do_ something. She wasn't going to stand there and watch him die.

She ignored Ava's desperate attempt to lift her, her arms looping through Bella's. Bella shoved at her roughly, toppling Ava's body over before she resumed her actions. All of this happened within mere seconds and Bella finally found what she had been searching for.

"Stop!" Ava pleaded, teetering up on her quaking legs, distressed beyond her comprehension. "Bella-!" She choked back a sob, trying to lift Bella to run; she had no idea what to do–she knew what she _wanted_ to do. Ava wanted to leave, she wanted a chance to _live_, but she wasn't going to leave Bella behind. She couldn't.

Ava had no idea how Edward was faring, she had averted her eyes from the action. She was scared; she was the _most_ scared that she had ever been in. Edward was their only chance at getting out of here alive, but that be _damned_ if she wasn't at least going to try.

Bella staggered up to a stand, a sharp, jagged rock in her hand. With a final, desperate look at her cousin, she gasped out, "I have to-"

Ava's eyes widened and just as Bella reached towards her upper arm to slice against her pliable skin, Ava rabidly tried wrestling the rock from her tight grasp. "Stop-!"

Bella had her grip on the dull side of the rock so tight, Ava grabbed at the other end, feeling the edge carve into her palm. Despite the rock wedged mercilessly into her hand, Ava twisted it violently, their struggle coming to an end when the rock fell to the side of them.

The unmistakable stain on the ragged edge, mocking them.

* * *

Favorite and Follow! And if you have a second, leave a review and tell me what you think!

e.o.c.n. Hello, hello! I hope everyone is doing as well as they possibly can during these circumstances, and please stay safe everyone. I, myself, am officially back to steaming milk, making cold brew, pulling shots of espresso, and getting yelled at by customers! Haha, but on an honest note, I'm so happy to be back to work, even though I'm scheduled for two 4 AM shifts next week. Also, I impulse bought a Nintendo Switch Lite and got Animal Crossing :)

We're nearing the end of Eclipse, guys!

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter: there's a lot because they were all hilarious and fit the chapter lol_

_[Before Jacob leaves the site]_  
**Ava:** When you see Paul, give him this message.  
**Ava:** *makes a neutral face*  
**Ava:** He´ll know what it means.  
_[later]_  
**Jacob:** Oh, and Ava said to give you a message  
**Jacob:** *makes a neutral face*  
**Paul:** Oh no. The neutral face of displeasure.

.+.

_[realizing that Bella intended to cut herself as a distraction]  
_**Ava:** We're not mad, we're disappointed  
**Edward:** No, we're mad  
**Ava:** Right, we're mad. Furious. Livid…but we're going to let this one slide.  
**Edward:** No, we are not  
**Ava:** I'm not a mind reader, Edward.

_.+._

**Victoria: **I could kill you if I want.  
**Bella:** Yeah? So could a human being.  
**Bella:** So could a dog.  
**Bella:** Or a really dedicated duck.  
**Bella:** You're not special.

.+.

_[Victoria and Edward fighting]  
__[Riley and Seth fighting]  
__[Ava yanking her arm]  
_**Bella:** Can I get a waffle? Can I _PLEASE_ get a waffle?

.+.

**Seth:** You want to see how hardcore I am?  
_[punches a wall]  
_**Seth:** Take me to a hospital.

.+.

**Seth:** Listen Sam.  
**Collin:** In this world…  
**Brady:** It's either yeet…  
**Seth, Collin, Brady, simultaneously:** Or be yeeted.  
**Sam:** I'm begging you all to stop talking.

.+.

**Edward, to Victoria:** Don't fuck with me! I have the power of God and anime on my side! AHHHHHHHHH!  
_[alternatively]  
_**_Seth, internally to Riley: _**_Don't fuck with me! I have power of God and anime on my side! AHHHHHHHHH!  
_**_The rest of the pack, internally: _**_Seth, what the fuck._

_.+._

**Bella, typing into Google:** rock stab what do  
**Google:** Elevate and apply pressure.  
**Bella, holding the rock above her head:** Apologize to Ava or else.

.+.

**Bella**: Relax, I think I see a scenario where we both get out of here with acceptable losses.  
**Ava**: What exactly is your version of acceptable?  
**Bella**: Breaks and punctures, possible loss of a limb, no major organ damage.

.+.

**Ava**: Let me see what you have!  
**Bella, excited**: A ROCK.  
**Ava, panicking**: NO!  
_[alternatively]_  
**Charlie**: Let me see what you have!  
**Ava, excited**: A KNIFE.  
**Charlie, panicking**: NO!


	41. Chapter 41

**Title**: The Best Of Times: Trailing for Hope  
**Chapter 41**: Bearing The Brunt, or Come On, Put Your Hands Into The Fire  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington, permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shape-shifter either. ...No Bella, or Edward-bashing. Follows storyline from "New Moon". _Despite my attempts to write a believable Paul/OC fic, there's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: I apologize for any grammatical errors, as it's 2 AM, I just got home, and I'm a little, kinda, a tad stoned and thought it was a good idea to edit this.

P.S. If I missed something grammatical or something doesn't make sense, please PM me and let me know!

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, followed, and favorited! :)

* * *

_The next day. Saturday. 1:49 PM. Campsite. _

The blood seeped rapidly from her palm in the matter of a single second. Ava held up her arm in shock, the blood running down and dripping from her elbow onto the previously unblemished snow. She never realized how much blood was actually in her hand, only now she was acutely aware of it pouring out of the artificial opening.

"Oh-oh, my god," Bella stammered, her shaking hands snapping Ava's palm towards her and pressing the end of her plaid shirt against the gaping wound. "Why did you-?!"

A sharp hissing reached their ears and their situation dawned on them once again. Both Victoria and Riley's attentions were now fixated on Ava. Her heart could have stopped in that moment and she wouldn't have even noticed, the terror engulfing her every nerve. She didn't know if it was the sudden blood loss but she felt a slam of nausea hit her.

Just as she was kissing her life goodbye, Edward threw Riley backwards and he slammed into the hard rock. Victoria didn't pay them mind, appearing in front of Ava and Bella in a split second and digging her slender fingers into Ava's wrist.

Ava tried taking a step backwards, Victoria's perfect face too close for comfort; her foot stepped on the same rock that sliced her palm open and she nearly fell, only Victoria's grasp on her wrist keeping her upright. She felt a pop, gasping at the immediate pain blooming into her entire body. She didn't know if she just twisted or broke her ankle but both her knees gave out, now kneeling in front of Victoria's fangs. The blood was running down the expanse of her arm, filing down in even beads; she could see the stream disappear under her sleeve and felt a trickle slide down the side of her abdomen underneath her shirt.

Bella watched in horror; she had taken an unconscious step backwards when Victoria came into view. "Hey!" She yelled, trying to keep her voice steady. Edward was still trying to subdue Riley and Bella knew she had to do something to distract Victoria.

Blood-red eyes snapped to Bella before zeroing back on the crimson blood in front of her. "I'll deal with you later," Victoria warned, lowering her face near the gash, unable to stop herself from feeding. A quick snack before her revenge only seemed fitting.

Edward suddenly lunged at Victoria, yanking her backwards and jostling Ava in the midst of it. She groaned out loudly, the throbbing pain radiating; she couldn't think of anything other than her tender-to-the-touch ankle and the blood that was still running wildly.

She wanted to get up but she was frozen to the ground. Ava could faintly register Bella screaming in the background. She looked up blearily, Bella's form right in front of her and she saw Seth off to the side, his fangs latched onto Riley's shoulder. "Victoria!" Riley yelled, reaching a hand out to the redhead.

Victoria was in the middle of her own fight with Edward and didn't spare Riley a glance as he was dragged off.

Edward and Victoria threw themselves at each other, trying to gain the upper hand when Edward finally gripped her neck. He threw Victoria forward into the air and sped behind, catching her again and slamming her body into the ground roughly. He pulled her closely and quickly threw her down for the last time, her head detached from the rest of her body.

There was a beat of silence that followed while Edward grunted from exhaustion, kneeling on the ground next to the body. Ava tried wobbling up, Bella turning to face her and immediately wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Ava..." Her voice quivered, her fingers pressing into her side roughly.

"Bella, your hand," Ava spoke finally, shifting uncomfortably.

"Sorry," she whispered, loosening her hold and biting her bottom lip. "Lean on me," she demanded after a second, angling her body so she took the brunt of Ava's weight.

Ava did her best to do as she said, keeping her uninjured hand pressed tightly against the slash in her palm. It seemed to have stop bleeding for the time being, but that was only a small victory.

She shifted her gaze from Edward who was standing up, to Victoria, beyond grateful that vampires had no blood. Otherwise, it would have been a truly gory sight.

Edward turned in the direction of the girls, scanning over Bella quickly before his gaze fell on Ava. He moved in their direction, stopping in front of Bella to silently rip off the end of her plaid shirt and holding out a pale hand towards the younger girl.

Before Ava had a chance to unclasp her hands, Seth appeared to her side, growling at Edward.

"Seth." Ava tried smiling, though she wasn't sure how comforting it was, as she was sure there was a smear or two of blood on her face. She thought it impossible for there not to be, the snow that surrounded them was sprinkled in it, having faded from the harsh red to a light pink.

"It's okay," she insisted after he didn't back down.

He sat back on his hind legs, a silent and reluctant authorization in his mind. Ava slowly let go of her hand, feeling the stick of the blood as she pulled away fully. She didn't want to flex her fingers, already knowing that doing so would only establish what she already knew. They were likely stiff, and she didn't want to open and close the cut more than necessary.

Edward wrapped the thin cloth around her hand, his cool touch feeling heavenly against the inflammation that the wound brought. It was then that Seth growled again–this time, desperately, at Edward.

"Something's wrong." Bella frowned.

After matching Bella's expression, Edward quickly tied off the end of the cloth tightly. "Alice needs us to go...now."

He took out a lighter and in the blink of an eye, threw it onto the body of Victoria, setting her ablaze in seconds. Turning back towards the pair, he looked at Ava. "Can you walk?"

Ava looked down, trying to see if her ankle would bend. Instantly, pain shot up and she shook her head, hunching forward slightly. "Yeah, no. That's not happening."

"Carry her," Bella said firmly, turning to look at Seth still loyally at Ava's side. "Do you think you can carry me?"

Seth eyed her for a second, inclining his head. Bella nodded, turning back towards Edward. "If Seth takes her, she could get hurt again. She could fall, or-"

"Bella, I'm fine." Ava rolled her eyes discreetly, wobbling away from her and putting her weight onto her good ankle. "I can go with Seth."

"No, Ava." Bella frowned. "Edward will carry you. That way you won't fall."

She wanted to argue but Edward cut in, "we're going to the same place. Ava, if it's all the same, I can carry you."

"We have to go," Bella insisted, already stepping towards Seth. "_Now_."

* * *

_2:19 PM. Battlefield._

"...The pack needs to leave. The Volturi won't honor a truce with the werewolves," Carlisle continued, he looked past his family and the pack in front of him to catch the injured girl's eye. "And Ava. You need to go, too. Put your ankle on ice."

Ava leaned further into Paul's side, using the side of her arm as an anchor to keep herself from falling over. "Yeah, okay," she breathed out.

The second that she was within the proximity of the field, Paul rounded on her, growling harshly at Edward who was still holding the girl in his arms. She was positive if she wasn't close, he would've pounced. Edward let her down carefully after catching his thoughts, Seth coming up from behind with Bella still mounted.

Even after she was at his side, he snapped his teeth harshly at the vampire. She wanted to act like her injuries were nothing but considering she couldn't walk without limping slightly and probably looked like an utter mess, it was more-than-likely glaringly obvious that she wasn't okay.

The crowd of vampires and werewolves grouped and Carlisle relayed that the Volturi were coming and they needed to prepare. She doubted Paul was even listening, she could feel his pressing stare burning into the side of her face; Ava turned towards him sheepishly, a small, tight smile on her face.

Ava was sure that he already knew the general idea of what happened thanks to the link that his pack had. Not only that, but she didn't put it past him to have interrogated Seth on every little detail before they even arrived. Truthfully, Ava wasn't sure what Seth exactly saw; everything happened so fast that Ava didn't know _who_ was _where_ at _what_ time.

As the plan was laid out, he nudged the hand that was at her side closest to him. "It was an accident," she murmured, angling it away from him. She had thrown on a jacket before they left the site and she was hoping he'd forget that little injury.

He only grunted in response and she suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. "It _was_. I promise."

He nudged her again, only this time forcing her to stand up on her own; she was confused but wobbled slightly to keep the weight off as she straightened up.

Paul circled around her closely, scanning for any other affliction that he could have missed. He already took note of her ankle and palm. Ava had winced when she straightened up but he didn't know if that was because of her ankle or another injury.

Gritting his fangs together, he glared at the bloodsucker that was _supposed_ to have kept her safe. She caught his expression and placed her hand on top of his large head, tugging lightly at the fur with her uninjured hand.

"_Stop_. He stopped Victoria," she chastised quietly. "And-and Seth, he got Riley."

If he could speak, she could only imagine the profanities that would have spewed from his mouth, especially if his expression was any indication.

Before anything else could be done, a snarl erupted from the side of the field; Ava didn't have time to even fully turn, Paul shoving himself between her and the direction of the noise, staying close enough to keep her upright. By the time she realized what happened she saw Leah trying to subdue a stray newborn.

Ava remained frozen, watching the harsh interaction when the newborn managed to wrap his arms around the smaller wolf. No one seemed to move forward to help and Ava screamed, "Leah!"

Jacob bounded from the side, the newborn releasing Leah and now turning their attentions to him. The newborn latched around Jacob and began crushing; Ava moved unconsciously towards him but with Paul's large frame, it was impossible. Hearing the crack of bones followed with Jacob's long whine, Ava desperately tried again; she stumbled to the side and did her best to ignore the harsh twinge from her ankle, but Paul continued to easily prevent her from moving closer.

It wasn't until Embry and Sam took down the newborn that Paul stood still, allowing Ava to shove past him. Though, with the pangs of aches shooting into her, she wasn't making great time.

Still, she yelled, keeping her eyes on Jacob's form on the ground. "Jake!"

Bella was rushing forward, joining in on the desperate yells. "Jacob!" She reached him first easily, followed by Ava, panting heavily.

Jacob had phased back into his human form and was groaning in pain, writhing violently on the floor. Carlisle was already there, scanning him over.

"Oh, _my_-" Ava choked back her words, both from Jacob's injuries as well as her own. Her ankle was throbbing and she felt a collection of tears in her eyes–though, if it was because of Jake or her ankle, she wasn't sure.

"The bones on the right half of his body are shattered." Carlisle said somberly. Ava wanted to kneel down but everything in her body was preventing her from doing do; Bella had no qualms, kneeling down and looking him over.

"Bella," Jacob said roughly.

"Jake, I'm right here," she breathed out.

The rest of the pack approached quickly, all phased back into their human form. Leah was powering ahead, beyond angry. "Jacob, you idiot, I had it!"

"Leah!" Sam barked in warning, before joining down beside Carlisle and Edward.

After feeling an immediate presence at her side, she tried to discreetly move her jacket sleeve over her hand as best she could without jostling her injuries too much.

"Let me see," Paul ground out.

She kept her eyes on Jacob, answering him curtly. "It's nothing. Barely a cut."

"How did you manage to cut yourself when there was an entire _damn_ army out for blood?" He snapped quietly.

Ava bristled. "It was an accident, I told you."

He didn't let up and continuing pressing, "show me then. _Now_. If it really is-"

"Shh," Ava whispered harshly, meeting his eyes and glancing down at Jacob pointedly. "Jake is hurt, so _shut up_."

"I need to set the bones before his accelerated healing kicks in." Carlisle spoke grimly, still examining Jake. "It's already starting." Ava felt her breath hitch in worry.

"We need to get him out of here," Edward resolved. Although he wasn't Jacob's biggest fan, he knew if the Volturi saw them here, they'd attack. "We're not going to win a fight with the Volturi."

Sam straightened up and after a second of thought, he spoke, "we'll take him back to Billy's."

Carlisle nodded and breathed out, "I'll be there as soon as I can."

"But you said you have to set-" Ava started.

"It'll have to wait," Edward cut off, getting up. "The Volturi will be here soon and you all have to leave before they do."

Carlisle narrowed his eyes at Ava. "Please put your ankle on ice," he insisted. "It'll help. And clean out your wound with water, you may end up needing stitches."

"Hang in there, Jake," Bella said breathlessly from the ground, looking down at him.

Carlisle nodded at the pack before they moved to surround Jacob. Ava took a wobbly step backwards, bumping into Seth right behind her. He steadied her immediately. "Woah, there."

"I'm good," Ava assured, holding onto his shoulder. She gave him a small pat before releasing him, meeting Paul's immediate withering scowl.

"I'm helping with Jacob," Paul informed, looking at Seth. "Make sure she doesn't _fall_ and _die_."

Ava's expression soured. "I _said_, I'm-"

"_Shut up_," he mocked, repeating her past words. "You can barely walk. So, unless you want me to carry you, Seth is helping."

She let out a disbelieving scoff; honestly, she could _walk_, she wasn't a child. "I'm sorry, what? '_I can barely_-'" Cutting back her acidic retort, she grabbed Seth's shoulder with an audible huff.

Glad she was finally listening to him, he turned to face Jacob. Embry, Jared, Sam, and Paul slowly lifted him off the ground, Jacob whimpering in pain. "It's okay. We got you. We got you."

Before Ava left the family of vampires, she turned towards Bella, hesitating slightly. "I'll see you at Billy's?"

Bella nodded, blinking rapidly. "Yeah, yeah. Just…go. Make sure he-he's _good_ until Carlisle gets there."

* * *

_2:38 PM. Reservation._

Ava felt her good foot step on a loose rock and she faltered, forced to use her opposite leg to keep herself from falling. She winced at the shoot of pain and gripped Seth's shoulder tighter.

His hands shot out immediately, drifting around her waist. "I'm fine, Seth. Quit mothering me."

Paul's glower over his shoulder only fueled her frustration and she glared back at him until he turned his head to look forward again; she could tell he was biting back his _sixth_ demand that she just be carried. The walk to Jacob's house felt like it had been stretched by an extra few miles and Ava just wanted it to be over. She was walking slower than normal, ignoring the aches that were scattered across her body.

When she almost tripped again, she snapped. This time, instead of just seeing Seth's arms held out, Quil's were joined in as well. "Will you quit it?"

"You were stabbed." Seth pouted, snatching back his hands but remaining by her side. "I saw it. You were _bleeding_ everywhere."

"_Seth_-" Ava hissed. She didn't need everyone hovering over her, especially when Jacob had injuries much graver than hers.

Unfortunately, that easily caught the attention of everyone else.

"Wait, like, how deep?" Jared frowned, shifting his hold on Jacob. Seth's thoughts were so sporadic that it was never really made clear how badly Ava was injured. She looked fine for the most part, a jacked-up ankle and wrapped hand was all he noticed.

"Has Dr. Cullen taken a good look at you?" Sam asked over his shoulder.

Ava shot Seth an annoyed look before replying, "I'm good. It wasn't even that deep, and Seth is overreacting."

"There's blood all over your hand," Quil added, reeling back at the glare that Ava shot at him. "I'm just saying." He held up his hands in surrender. "We know what Seth was thinking, it didn't _sound_ like nothing."

"_Seth_." Ava narrowed her eyes in irritation and set her eyes back towards the boy who was still at her side. "Overreacted. I'm not bleeding anymore. _Tell_ them, Seth."

Paul's face twisted into a glare. "You're not bleeding because Cullen wrapped it."

"So, I'm fine." Ava ground out. "We shouldn't even be worried about me, Jacob was crushed."

"Jacob is fine," Jared answered, peeking up to look at Jacob's face. "…Mostly. Dr. Vamp will come by, and he'll be good as new."

"Dr. Cullen should stitch you up," Sam suggested.

"No." Ava shot down that idea immediately. "I'm good, Sam. I don't need stitches."

"What you _need_ is to be wrapped in fucking bubble wrap and locked in a closet."

Before Ava could snap at Paul's proposition, she mistakenly put too much weight on her ankle and she lurched forward. "Aw, _fuck_, that…_ow_."

Everyone stopped and Seth ducked his head to level with hers. He tried to help her straighten up gently but Ava wasn't having it, immediately bending her knees and keeping her weight off her injured leg. "No, no. I seriously can't." She felt guilty at making everyone stop for her and she waved. "Go ahead. Just give me a few minutes."

Her hair had fallen like a curtain on the sides of her face, thankfully blocking her view and preventing anyone from possibly seeing her cry. Her ankle hurt like a _bitch_. She could tell everyone was still waiting but after a long minute Seth finally disappeared from her side and she thought everyone took her urging to continue walking.

She lowered herself fully onto the ground, taking the weight off both her legs. Only Paul stood, his last strand of patience keeping him from just scooping her up and carrying her himself. "Are you done?"

"Done with what?" Ava grunted, trying to hold onto the last of her dignity.

"Being stubborn."

"I'm _not_ being stubborn." Ava spoke sharply. "I can walk my own damn self."

"Just get on," Paul said finally, turning on his heel so his back faced her and crouching down. He rolled his eyes, still looking ahead. Waiting for a few more seconds before he looked over his shoulder, he saw that Ava was trying to get up on her own. "Get _on_."

She ignored his demand, putting all her weight onto her good leg. Straightening up, she held out her hands gesturing to her ankle. "See? I'm fine."

He only raised a brow, lightly nudging her shoulder with a single finger. She immediately lost her balance, flailing her arms to regain her equilibrium; he took gentle hold of her shoulder and she steadied herself quickly.

"We can get there faster if you just get on," he suggested, begrudgingly resorting to tap into her desire to stay with Jacob.

It seemed to work because Ava only stood still, waving a hand in front of her in silent resignation. He held back the smug smile, kneeling back down and feeling her settle behind him.

* * *

_6:12 PM. Black House._

Ava combed through Jacob's hair gently. "Hold on," she whispered the same thing that she'd been repeating for the last few hours. "Carlisle will be here soon, Jake."

It had been hours since everyone had arrived at Jacob's house and the thought that Dr. Cullen was just going to abandon Jake was beginning to cross the wolves' minds. Ava had to reassure them that Carlisle wasn't just going to just desert them, especially with Jacob's injuries. She didn't know what was taking so long, but she was glad that Jacob wasn't in pain now, having passed out around the two-hour mark.

Everyone hovered in and out of the living room but Paul stayed back, leaning against the doorway. "Stop pouting," Ava mumbled, not bothering to look at his expression.

He scoffed. "I'm not _pouting_."

"He's hurt," Ava said pointedly.

"I _know_ he is."

"I'd do the same for _you_, if this was you."

"I should've gotten hurt on purpose then."

Ava laughed slightly, giving a playful raise of her eyebrows despite not facing him. "_No_, that's not what I meant." She traced random patterns on Jacob's forehead. "The battle went well, I take it."

She was in an uncomfortable position; her good leg had already gone numb after kneeling on it for such a prolonged period of time and her other leg was stretched out in an awkward manner, keeping any pressure away from her recently-calmed ankle. There was an ice pack that she had thrown on top haphazardly just to keep Paul from complaining. Her palm though, she hadn't had a second thought about.

"Quick," he corrected, straightening off the doorway and sitting down on the coffee table beside the couch. He rested his elbows on his knees, leaning forward towards the pair. "Told you I'd see you soon."

"Quite the reunion." Ava smiled after a second. "That's good, though."

There was a pregnant pause before Paul let out a heavy breath. "You know, when I heard Seth's thoughts…" He took a pause, watching the back of Ava's head, still facing Jacob's sleeping face. "I mean, when I found out. About the redhead and-and the other one, I wanted to go."

Ava could tell there was more he wanted to say, so she stayed quiet. "But I couldn't," he finished, gritting his teeth together in anger. "I was in the middle of it, I couldn't get away. I tried, I _swear_."

"It's okay," she reassured, focusing on a small tuft of hair on Jacob's head. She began twisting it around, playing with it as she continued, "Seth was there."

"I should have stayed with you." Paul broke his stare at the back of her head, scowling down at the carpet. "Those fucking-they…I couldn't. I fucking tried, I _swear_. I should have stayed, you _wanted_ me to stay."

She didn't reply, not able to think of a single thing that would make him feel better. No matter what she said, it wasn't going to erase the guilt that he was feeling, thinking he could have prevented it somehow.

Feeling a sudden sharp ache from hand, Ava squirmed, flexing her fingers unknowingly. The actions further jostled her wound, the stiffened fingers having swelled with inflammation. Paul's harsh, self-critical thoughts were wiped from his mind and he leaned forward even farther, his head hovering beside hers. "Your cut."

"Barely," Ava repeated instinctively, removing her uninjured hand from Jacob's forehead and tugging her sleeve over the makeshift plaid bandage.

"Can I see?" He asked cautiously, taking Ava by surprise. She was expecting another demand since genuinely asking for things wasn't really in Paul's books.

Still, she shook her head. "It's nothing," she insisted firmly, lowering herself to fully sit on the floor, the stiffness in her legs beginning to get intolerable; she stretched them out, maneuvering the ice pack on her ankle. It didn't really hurt anymore, though she still assumed that if she put too much weight on it, it'd balloon out again.

Inclining her head to the side, she met his stoic expression. "_Really_, it's nothing."

After his lack of reply, Ava pursed her lips, realizing that he wasn't going to let this go. With an inward, resigned sigh, she shrugged off her jacket and lifted her hand.

Paul immediately grasped her arm as gently he could, making sure not to touch the red marks that were still spread across her wrist harshly. He examined the tight knot, grimacing at the dried, sticky blood that stained not only the cloth, but the small creases in her fingers.

"Nothing." He scoffed quietly, noticing the further smears that ran down her arm and disappeared past her sleeve. "Then why is there blood going down your entire arm?"

"Because it's still a cut," Ava muttered childishly. "Cuts _bleed_, in case you didn't know."

"_Deep_ cuts bleed this much," he corrected before frowning. "Are you really that clumsy-"

"It was an accident," she snapped, jerking her hand back and ignoring the aches that came along with the force. "I didn't fall."

"How was _that_ an accident? What, did you forget which side to grab on a knife?"

"It wasn't a knife, it was a rock." Ava stiffened. "Bella, she-"

Paul leaned back, crossing his arms and a knowing look spreading across his face. Ava glared at him. "It was an _accident_. Okay, I was grabbing a rock from her and cut myself."

"You were grabbing a rock from her," he repeated dryly.

"She was-it…" She had no idea how to explain how exactly she got the cut, any explanation would just make Bella sound like a complete idiot. Finally, she breathed out a breath in exasperation. "She was going to do something stupid. An-and I grabbed the rock and cut myself, okay? I didn't _trip,_ or grab the wrong side of a _knife_."

He continued eyeing her suspiciously, his eyes darting from her hand and back to her face. "_Fine_," he replied. "...Try not to cut yourself around any more bloodsuckers, got it?"

"As long as you don't fight anymore newborn vampires," Ava shot back, lifting her chin. He chuckled lowly, shaking his head. "Deal."

A few minutes passed, both enjoying the other's silent company. Ava's eyes suddenly examined him, Paul raising an inquisitive brow after her stare lingered. "Do you need something?"

She met his eyes, unabashed at being caught. "You're not hurt at all, are you?"

"I _told_ you I would be fine."

"That's what you said when you ran into Emmett," Ava recalled pointedly. "And I'm pretty sure you had the biggest bruise I'd ever seen."

"I healed in five minutes." He rolled his eyes. "But I'm good. Nothing serious."

He was going to point out that she was way worse off than he was when his nose twitched and he jerked his head towards the doorway. "Cullen's here."

"Carlisle?" Ava asked, watching him stand up and nod once. Carlisle appeared in the blink of an eye, instantly analyzing the wolf before him. "How is he?"

Ava yanked her necklace, maneuvering her good leg again to kneel beside Jacob. "Passed out." She bit her lip. "Should he have stayed awake?"

"No," Carlisle answered, taking a step closer to the couch. "His body shut down from the pain and shock, you couldn't have done anything."

Paul placed a hand on her shoulder, silently conveying that it was time to leave. Ava didn't want to go, releasing her charm and clutching the blanket that was draped over Jacob's form. Carlisle noticed the interaction.

"Ava," Carlisle started lightly, the girl looking up at him. "You should wait outside. Sit on out and try to keep your ankle elevated." He glanced at her hand, frowning. "You haven't washed out your cut, have you?"

"No." Ava replied honestly, Carlisle's underlying scold causing her to duck her head. "I'll do it soon."

"You have to clean it out. Now," Carlisle insisted. "There's a higher chance of infection the longer you wait."

"I'll be okay." Ava wobbled up, using Paul's arm as a support. "How long until he wakes up?"

"He'll sure wake up now," Paul muttered, snaking an arm around her waist and lifting her slightly, keeping her full weight off her feet.

"It won't be pretty," Carlisle agreed carefully.

Despite the immense desire to stay, Ava allowed Paul to nearly carry her out of the house, joining in with the remaining pack that was still present. She didn't even know how she was supposed to elevate her leg out here, discerning that it was just a terrible excuse concocted to get her to leave.

"You need to sit down." Leah's voice cracked through the air, eyeing the younger girl when she came into view. "You're going to break something."

Ava shook her head. "It's okay."

"Seriously, Ave, will you quit it with that already," Embry finally breathed out.

"Where are Sam and Jared?" Ava asked instead, wanting the subject changed and noticing the missing members.

Quil glanced at Leah unknowingly. "Emily's. They'll be here soon."

Ava tried going down the concrete steps, Paul immediately stepping down the expanse and easily lifting her down.

"I'm not a little kid," Ava mumbled, shaking off his arms and stalking pathetically to the side. "It barely even hurts, it's twisted, not broken."

She leaned heavily against the sole vehicle that the Black's owned, ignoring Paul's hovering frame. Suddenly, she jumped up, Jacob's unexpected scream ripping from the house and echoing throughout the surrounding area.

* * *

_8:42 PM. Black House._

The evening stretched into the night, the chilly air reminding Ava of the campsite that she was in only that morning. She regretted not grabbing her jacket before she left the house, not wanting to step inside now that Carlisle was _still_ breaking Jacob's bones.

Sam and Jared had arrived an hour earlier with only Emily in tow, Jared leaving Kim at her house to spare her the screams that were reverberating hauntingly. The older woman immediately zeroed in on Ava's pitiful form; she fretted around her, not wanting to touch Ava in fear that she'd hurt her. Ava had to reassure her repeatedly, consistently, over the course of _twenty_ minutes, that it only _looked_ worse than it actually was.

Ava felt a shudder run though her body, Paul noticing her sudden trembling frame. He hadn't tried to force his help on her again, Ava being too stubborn, but he wasn't about to let her get hypothermia piled on top of everything else that had gone wrong that day.

He slipped a shameless arm around her waist like he had before, nudging her to stand in front of him and snaking his other arm to link around her midsection. He felt the satisfaction of her exhale in the pits of his stomach and her shaking diminished in seconds. Paul leaned his head further, resting his chin on her shoulder and her hair tickling the side of his face.

"Feel better?"

"Yes," she admitted, hoping the heat in her cheeks was just Paul's proximity and overly-warm body temperature.

Another scream broke through the air, and Ava squeezed her eyes shut. She wanted to leave but the thought of leaving Jacob in the middle of this seemed cruel. The least she could do was stay with him as he went through this, maybe not physically, but immersed in as much as she was allowed. The pack were scattered around closely on the front lawn, the only one's allowed inside other than Carlisle, were Sam and Billy; though Billy could only handle so much before he wheeled himself back out.

Ava heard the familiar rumble of the red truck nearing and she looked up, meeting the headlights as it was parked half-heartedly. Immediately, Ava straightened up, Paul's hold falling from her. Bella approached carefully, eyeing everyone present before speaking, "hey-"

Jacob screamed out in pain again and Ava winced harshly. Pointing weakly towards the house, she took a deep breath. "He's in there."

"It's been going on for a while," Quil managed out, standing on the porch beside the ramp. Embry added, his voice cracking. "Doc's re-breaking his bones."

Leah's loud scoff diverted the attention to her, her anger raising. Throwing her hands down in frustration, she shook her head. "Why did he have to butt in? I could've taken that tick."

"Oh, give it a rest, Leah," Paul snapped from behind Ava.

Ava only let out a heavy sigh. Everyone was on edge, and she was surprised it took Leah this long to speak about the situation. The she-wolf gave Paul a scathing glare, crossing her arms again and moving farther from the group; she could only stand to be around everyone for a certain amount of time before she wanted to yank out her hair.

Ava hopped back into her old position, leaning against the back of the truck, but remaining close enough to Paul to keep herself from shivering.

Bella hovered awkwardly around the edge of the group, inching her way to Ava's other side. She ignored the side-eye that Paul was giving her and instead focused on Ava. "How are you feeling?" She asked quietly.

"How do you _think_ she's feeling?" Paul snarled. "She was thrown around like a fucking rag doll."

"It's not like I planned this." Bella mustered as much acid in her voice to reply, gently grasping Ava's elbow. She already felt guilt and anger towards what happened to Ava and her normally even temper was beginning to raise. "I'm trying to help, so back up."

"Guys," Emily tried calling, staying by Billy's side. "Maybe, we should-"

"How about _you_ don't tell me what to do-"

"Shut _u-p_," Ava dragged out her words. "Both of you. Okay, I'll be fine. Jacob is the one that's worse off-"

Carlisle suddenly came into view, the front door swinging open. Sam followed closely behind and everyone seemed to take a step towards them in anticipation.

"The worst is over. He'll be alright." Once that was announced by Carlisle, a collective sigh of relief was heard. "I gave him some morphine, but his body temperature will burn it off soon. I'll come back to set up a drip."

"Thank you," Billy said, grateful beyond comprehension. Emily let a small smile cross her face and she placed a comforting hand on Billy's shoulder.

When Carlisle stepped down the porch, his intent clear on getting to Ava, Billy stopped him. He offered the vampire a hand, and Carlisle seemed surprised at this. With a half-smile, he accepted the hand, squeezing it in solidarity. Once he let go, he turned his attention back to Ava.

"Did you elevate?"

"How was I supposed to elevate it out here?" Ava defended crossly, heaving herself off the truck roughly and wobbling until Paul and Bella grabbed opposite arms to steady her.

Dr. Cullen pursed his lips, moving around her and opening the bed of the truck, gesturing her to hop on. He knew her injuries weren't grave, only the cut on her hand worrying him. Before it slipped his mind, he addressed Bella, "he's asking for you." As he spoke, he motioned his head once to the house.

Bella looked awkwardly at Billy. Billy nodded once, understanding of Jacob's feelings towards the stoic brunette. Before Bella took a single step towards the house, she helped Ava sit fully on the truck before Paul could lift her.

"I'll be back," she promised, taking a step backwards and disappearing through the doorway.

Sitting on the rusty bed, her legs dangling, Carlisle gently examined her hand first. He had his eyes narrowed and he lifted the edges of the cloth. Ava winced at the sensation, her hand still sensitive. Paul pressed immediately, scowling, "what are you doing?"

"I'm trying to see if she's going to need stitches," Carlisle answered patiently. He glanced at Ava quickly. "I'm going to unwrap, okay? It's going to feel uncomfortable. Maybe even hurt."

Ava moved her hand towards her unconsciously. "Um, maybe, I can do it. Later, I mean."

"I need to see what I'm dealing with," he insisted, keeping his grasp on her loose.

"If I need stitches, I'll let you know." Ava fully pulled her hand back to her, holding it against her chest. "I swear."

Realizing this was a losing battle if Ava truly wasn't going to budge, Carlisle sighed. There was no way he was going to be able to force her into anything with the number of eyes tracking his every move. "If there's any active bleeding, you need to see me. Ava, this could be serious."

"It's okay." Ava nodded. "There wasn't any dirt or anything in it when Edward wrapped it."

"I'm worried about what it _was_ that cut you," Carlisle inquired, posing a silent question.

Ava knew that if she admitted that it was a jagged mountain rock, he'd continue to press to check it now. "It's fine, Carlisle, really."

"Is there anything else I should be worried about?"

"Nope."

"Your ankle," he asked finally, glancing down at her foot. Lifting it, she spoke, "it doesn't hurt, really. I think I just twisted it."

Carlisle observed the ankle, confident that it wasn't a break. Though, there was swelling from all of Ava's movement, more-than-likely a sprain. "RICE. Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevate."

"Got it." Ava smiled cheekily.

With a final farewell, Carlisle was gone in the blink of an eye.

* * *

Favorite and Follow! And if you have a second, leave a review and tell me what you think!

e.o.c.n. Howdy, we're nearing the end! Not counting this chapter, we have two chapters left before _my_ official end to the Eclipse arc! After that, I'll have a handful of chapters between this story arc and the next (Breaking Dawn Pt. 1). Honestly, I have no clue how long this story is going to go once I separate the chapters, and I don't know how I feel about that.

P.S. Do y'all like longer or shorter chapters? I'm trying to figure out a good length format. For example, this would be a longer chapter being over 7,000 words, but my past chapters average about 2,500-3,000 words.

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter: _

**Ava**: The risk I took was calculated.  
**Ava**: But man, am I bad at math.

.+.

**Paul:** What happened? Are you okay? What did you do?  
**Ava:** You have to promise not to get angry and to let me finish.  
**Paul:** Okay.  
**Ava:** Well, first of all, I was minding my own business-  
**Paul, slamming down his fist:** BULLSHIT.

.+.

**Ava:** Roses are red.  
**Ava:** Violets are red.  
**Ava:** Everything is red.  
**Ava:** I'm bleeding.

.+.

**Ava**: An open wound? I think you mean extra pocket.

.+.

**Ava:** If I was actually bleeding out and delirious, could I do this? *doesn't move*  
**Bella:** …What are you doing?  
**Ava:** Cartwheels. Am I not doing them?

.+.

_[after Jacob is on the floor, groaning in pain]  
_**Ava:** We have to keep him conscious! Quick, ask him a question!  
**Bella:** What's 7 x 7?  
**Ava:** No, stuff he knows!

.+.

**Ava**: I'm tired of people telling me to 'go see Dr. Cullen' and 'you lost too much blood' and 'you need stitches'.  
**Ava**: It's my open wound, not yours. Stay out of it.

.+.

**Seth**: [giving directions] So, you're gonna yeet off at the next exit.  
**Stranger**: I'm going to what now?

.+.

**Bella**: It's like my mind says 'don't do it', and my heart says 'don't do it', and Ava says 'don't do it', but I'm still kinda like 'hey, I should do it'.

.+.

**Ava, to Bella**: I've had enough of your stupid plans! It's time for MY stupid plans!


	42. Chapter 42

**Title**: The Best Of Times: Trailing for Hope  
**Chapter 42**: Catch My Heart, Go Swim, or What If I Left You Half Just To Keep Me Whole  
**Rating**: T, for language I guess. If the rating changes, you'll be the second to know.  
**Disclaimer**: I don't own any aspect of Twilight and all its proceedings, they continue to belong to Stephenie Meyer.  
**Summary**: Ava Swan never expected to move to Forks, Washington, permanently. Then again, she never expected to be imprinted on by a hot-headed shape-shifter either. ...No Bella, or Edward-bashing. Follows storyline from "New Moon". _Despite my attempts to write a believable Paul/OC fic, there's no way I can make this sound original, ever._

**Notes**: I apologize for any grammatical errors, as I've started summer classes and I'm gonna combust. :,)

b.o.c.n. Here's the moment everyone has been waiting for! Without giving _tooo_ much away, just know there's going to be more Paul/Ava moments after this chapter *wink, wink, nudge, nudge*

P.S. If I missed something grammatical or something doesn't make sense, please PM me and let me know!

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, followed, and favorited! :)

* * *

_"__I'm sorry." Bella breathed out, keeping her head ducked. "For...everything." _

_A few long seconds passed before I responded, twirling a dark brown strand of hair tightly with my index finger, "it...it's okay. It's not like you meant to have some crazy vampire go after you."_

_I saw a small smile cross Bella's curtained face and she looked up to meet my eyes. "No, that wasn't the plan," she replied, rocking slightly on her heels. "But, as of late, nothing has really gone to plan."_

_Humming quietly in accord, I looked over my shoulder, noticing everyone was still staring at us. We were a little ways away; I was leaning against the side of the hood of the truck while Bella stood in front of me._

_"__Seems that way lately."_

_Suddenly Bella reached for me, hesitating for a second when she remembered the cut that was spread across my hand. "Your hand. Oh, my god, I'm so sorry." _

_In a moment of amusement, I lifted my wounded hand and waved it around in a chaffing manner. "Hey, war wounds are cool."_

_"__Ava…" She frowned, blinking rapidly and looking down at her feet. "I'm _so_ sorry."_

_"__Can you stop apologizing," I mocked lightly, lowering my hand. "It happened, there's no use in saying sorry all the time. What's done is done."_

_Bella met my eyes again, a pained expression on her face. I knew that she felt responsible about everything and in reality, it wasn't unwarranted. But I wasn't one to cry and moan about it._

_She continued staring and I met her gaze. There was a pause before Bella pointed weakly to her truck. "Do you...want a ride? I'm going to Edward's."_

_I appreciated the offer but shook my head. "I'm heading to Emily's for now to stay the night. We should head back home tomorrow, though. Pick me up?"_

_"__Yeah, of course," Bella agreed quickly, already trying to wrap an arm around me to walk me back. _

_I quickly slapped her hands away. "I'm fine. I can walk."_

_"_Hobble_," Bella corrected, a light tone to her voice. _

* * *

_10:23 PM. Emily Young and Sam Uley's House._

Ava slipped the cloth from her wrist and peeled it away, groaning quietly when she realized that it had stuck to the wound that was caked in blood. She noted gratefully that it wasn't bleeding anymore, meaning she _didn't_ have to tell Carlisle.

Though when she noticed the state of the broken skin of her palm, she second-guessed. It wasn't pretty. The gash was ragged and diagonal, nearly two inches across and the skin surrounding it was tinged a soft red. Her fingers felt stiff and the mere action of moving them caused the cut to open and close painfully.

With her rotten luck it was probably infected.

She turned the kitchen faucet on with her free hand once the cloth was fully freed from the dried blood and she quickly ran her hand under it once. She hissed in pain, flushed pink water dripping down. With another bout of bravery, she held it under again, this time until the water that ran down was clear.

"Ouch." She let out a sudden breath when she removed her hand and the settled air in the kitchen hit.

Noticing the smeared blood that stained the skin down her arm, she grabbed a paper towel, wetting it and wiping away as best she could. She bit the inside of her cheek when the red splotches that had marred her wrist because of Victoria were slowly blossoming into darker shades. Maneuvering her arm to check her upper arm where Edward had grabbed her, it matched her wrist.

"Fuck," she cursed again, trying to think of how to hide them. Makeup surely wouldn't do anything–she was taking into account the encroaching harsh coloring–and touching it too much with brushes and concealer didn't sound like a good idea. She could always just wear jackets and long-sleeves and-

"You need to clean it." The voice directly over her shoulder startled her and she leaned further into the counter, lifting her injured leg instinctively.

"_Jesus Christ_, you're like a shadow."

"You need to clean it," Paul repeated.

Ava squinted and lifted her brows, gesturing lightly to the sink. "I just did."

"With that…fucking, cut stuff." He waved vaguely at her hand, keeping back the scowl on his face. It looked way worse than he thought and he struggled with the rage directed at the Cullens.

"Do you mean the antibiotic thing?" Ava snorted in amusement, unaware of his inner turmoil.

"What-_fucking_-ever," he mumbled under his breath, beginning to rummage through the plastic first-aid box that Emily had given Ava when they arrived.

"I don't need it, though," Ava tried, still insisting that it felt better than it looked. "Just need some gauze."

"You need the antibiotic shit," he replied firmly, leaving no room for discussion. He brandished the white tube. "This. You need this."

"I don't," she insisted, sighing heavily before continuing, "I think I need to go see Carlisle."

Paul dropped the tube, narrowing his eyes. As much as he didn't want her anywhere near them, he had to agree begrudgingly. He reached for the white gauze, Ava silently raising her hand for him to wrap it for the time being.

He couldn't help his next comment: "Try not to do this anymore." He glanced at her quickly as he continued wrapping her palm.

Ava couldn't find the energy to argue and she only pursed her lips. "I'll try."

"And I think you're going to need stitches," Paul continued carefully. Ava recoiled, pulling her hand towards her. "No way."

"What do you expect from going to see Dr. Leech? He's going to say the same thing and you need to close the cut."

"Then I won't go see him," Ava resolved.

"Too bad," he shot back, taping down the end after pulling her hand back towards him. "This is infected."

"How would you know," she snarked.

"Will you just listen to me for once?" He let out an annoyed breath, releasing her and taking a step back.

She didn't answer, instead swatting his hands away when he tried to help her walk towards the living room. Collapsing on the couch, she tilted her head up in exhaustion; Ava could hear the loud chatter of everyone outside, planning their trip to go visit Jacob in the morning.

Paul followed her actions silently, sitting on the opposite couch and keeping his eyes locked on her, feeling a deep-rooted, hollow feeling settle in his chest. She looked worse for wear, almost like she'd pass out from today's events at any second. The contours of her face were more defined, a tell-tale sign of her exhaustion, and the darkened shades underneath her eyes were sunken.

Still, he noticed the shape of her lips and the slope of her nose that was nestled charmingly on her face. The splay of small, varying specks of brown at the highest points of her cheekbones, and the slight rounded shape of her face. She always manages to look beautiful despite everything.

Imprinting didn't even feel like the reason for thinking this way anymore–Paul felt as though these were solely his own thoughts and these resonating observations were now drilled into his every cell.

He was in love with her. He was _so_ fucking in love with her that it was maddening.

Catching his eyes when Ava lowered her head, she raised a brow. "What?"

"You look pretty," he replied easily, as if commenting on the weather. And to him, it was exactly that.

An awkward chuckle escaped her and she averted her gaze from him, her challenging and plucky attitude evaporating with his simple words. "Shut up." Was all she managed to say.

She swiped a stray pillow from the side and clutched it to her chest protectively. As much as his words caused an excited flutter in her stomach, hearing his straightforward and brazen tone made her want to cover her face in embarrassment.

A sudden shaky thought crossed her mind and Ava unconsciously tightened her hold on the pillow, ignoring the ache in her hand. _Maybe I should tell him now?_

Ava chanced a look at Paul and it seemed that he hadn't taken his comment too seriously as he had his eyes shut, head tilted back like hers had been.

_I should've told him before he left for the fight_. She frowned bitterly, regret filling her mind as she grimaced at his calm features. _Then I wouldn't have to worry about it now._

_I almost died_. Ava realized, glancing down to look at the white gauze that enveloped her hand._ I was _bleeding_ in front of two vampires, and now, I'm afraid of a little confrontation?_

The thought of telling him anything about her feelings towards him was making her feel nauseous and she could feel the tingle in her hands–though, it was due to her nervousness, not her wound. Ava didn't even know what she would say, only having the rising inclination to say _something_. When another anxious lurch to her stomach caused her mouth to over-salivate, she felt like she was going to vomit.

She got up, the stiffened pain shooting up her leg and didn't say a word as she tried to slink around the couch. Paul's head straightened up and he moved towards her, his arms trying to support her weight.

Ava ruffled, snapping away from his hands in a panic and whirling around quickly to face him. "Don't touch me."

He reeled back at her sudden shift but continued trying to help. "What are you doing?"

When his warm hands ghosted on her hips, her patience splintered down and she tried to elbow him away. Not expecting to do much, Ava wasn't surprised when he didn't move in the slightest.

"What is _wrong_ with you?" He frowned.

"_You_," she bit out, wiggling out of his loose grasp when her body vibrated with a shudder. "Leave me alone."

He couldn't have controlled the expression from crossing his face if he tried, the sting of her words hurting worse than anything else he could think of. Ava turned around, breathing heavily and continuing her unsteady walk to the bathroom. With a reverberating slam of the door, she clung onto the white porcelain of the sink and took a shaky breath.

She hadn't wanted to snap at him, making the mistake of watching his expression when she spoke. The look that crossed his face more-than-likely matched her own when she realized what she said and the effect that it had on him. Remembering why she was there, she collapsed next to the toilet, lifting the seat and staring down into the water.

It felt like a woodpecker had taken root in her head and Ava sat down on the floor beside the toilet, leaning against the wall. She rested the side of her head against the wood, shutting her eyes and taking a deep breath. She wasn't sure how long she sat there, willing her head to slow down and the aches across her body to subside.

Everything had hit her at once.

She staggered up, half-heartedly flushing the toilet despite not having used it. She washed her hands quickly, avoiding looking in the mirror as it would only deter her from leaving the bathroom. Creaking the door open, she peeked through and opened it fully when she saw that Paul was still there.

"Sorry." She ambled closer, leaning an arm on the couch and digging her hand into the soft cushions. She could only see the side of his face. "I thought I was going to throw up."

When he didn't reply, a rush of guilt hit her and she maneuvered herself to sit down on the coffee table in the middle of the room. She was facing him but his eyes were focused on the wall behind her.

"I'm sorry," she said slowly. "You were trying to help and I freaked out on you."

"There's more." Was all he said. Ava's face twisted into a puzzled expression.

"What?"

"There's more," he repeated, his eyes meeting her own in an intense flurry. "There's something else."

"No, there isn't," Ava defended, straightening up her back. "That was it."

"I'm not _stupid_," he spoke roughly, narrowing his eyes to a significant slant. "Something _else_ is bothering you."

Ava was caught between a rock and a hard place. If she didn't say anything, he'd be angry that she wasn't talking to him. If she _did_ say something, then…well, she would have said something, and the thought of doing that made her chest squeeze uneasily.

"I'm-" She cut herself off, still not having come to a decision.

He continued darting his eyes across her face, waiting for her to continue.

"I think I…" She began, drawing his eyes to bore into her own. _Fuck, keep going_, j_ust choke it out, already._

Ava switched tactics, hoping to _tell_ him without actually _telling_ him. "When you left me at the campsite, I was angry."

"I know you were." He replied, scoffing slightly. "You tried getting me to stay." This couldn't have been it; there's no way that Ava was acting this strangely because she was pissed about being left behind.

"Exactly!" Ava nearly exclaimed. "I wanted you to stay."

There was a dead silence, only the light chatter from outside being heard. He had on a thoughtful look and Ava wanted to sigh in relief at him actually understanding what she was trying to say. Just as the weight on her shoulders was being lifted, it was slammed back down when he broke the silence with a rough breath.

"And?"

Ava groaned inwardly. "I wanted you to stay," she repeated slowly, enunciating the words heavily and looking back and forth from each of his eyes. "Stay. With me."

"I know," he repeated just as slowly. "And what?"

Ava frailly stood up and Paul joined her, holding out a tentative hand. She searched his face for a second, using his out stretched arm as a support. "I need you to get this."

"I do," he insisted. For a split second, Ava welled with hope.

That is, until he continued again, "I get it, you're pissed that I left you up there, but what was I supposed to do?"

She gave up, giving him a harsh scowl. He kept his arm that she was using motionless, but he leaned his head back in annoyance. "…_What_?"

"Am I going to have to spell it out?" Ava muttered to herself.

"What are you talking about?" Paul asked, her skirting around the topic that she very obviously wanted to bring up was starting to frustrate him. He thought his patience with Ava was nearly bottomless, but that idea was steadily being thrown out the window.

"I-" Ava cut herself off again. She wanted to say it already, but she couldn't formulate a coherent thought in her jumbled mess of a brain. The woodpecker was back and in full-force.

Then, with a glance into his deep, concerned brown eyes, her body only reacted.

A small, startled gasp left her _own_ lips once she realized what was happening, but she didn't stop moving.

But…she didn't kiss him.

She only inclined her face towards his, using her grasp on his arm to pull him towards her. His face hovered closer than ever, his nose bumping into hers gently. His eyes had widened in surprise but he didn't move away, snaking his arms instinctively around her back to keep neither of them from toppling over.

She parted her lips prepared to apologize but before a single sound was made, _his_ body reacted. He kissed her. Gently at first, but with a rapidly growing passion.

Ava felt a hand snake to cup the side of her neck as he deepened the kiss.

His other arm remained, his hand falling to her lower back where it splayed widely and pressed her closer. She felt her own hands raise, lacing through his hair, pulling at it unconsciously. All the pain that her body had been experiencing was wiped away, replaced with a heated yearning that she hadn't felt before. Lost in the moment, the warmth that was radiating off him felt like it was pumping sluggishly through her own veins.

She barely noticed when they parted slightly, she released a breathless moan. However, upon reconnecting, his tongue skimmed across her lower lip and all sanity back rushed to her.

With a broken, surprised choke, she jerked back from him. She tripped over the edge of the rug, making it clear across the room before he could even register that she was out of his arms.

Her hand rose, feathering her fingers over her lips.

Their chests were heaving. Paul's eyes stared at her from across the room, something oddly triumphant in his darkened glazed-over expression. The sight of him made her tangled thoughts increase, fueling the heat that had pooled under her skin. He tried walking towards her but with the distance closing quickly, she panicked.

"Wait!" Ava snapped loudly, the sheer volume of her voice freezing him mid-step. Taking a trembling breath, she softened her voice to the usual level, though her eyes had a new, guarded veil across them that he'd never seen before. "Stay right there."

A sole brow shot up in disbelief. "Why?" He breathed out quietly, taking a single step forward.

"This is-this is all too much." As Ava spoke, she gestured to the space between them. She looked down to the floor hopelessly, the pulsating ache of all the movement causing tears to spring in her eyes; her life felt as though it was crumbling all around her. She didn't even notice when Paul didn't heed her request and was now a few steps away.

"I know," he assured carefully, poised in case Ava fell over. She was teetering back and forth. Paul wanted to steady her, but he didn't think getting too close would be a good idea. Especially now.

Remembering what just transpired, Paul felt an unadulterated exhilaration that couldn't be matched with anything else. If he thought his connection was strong before, it had nothing on this new, world-shattering draw to her.

"That wasn't-this-" Ava stuttered out, backing up and pressing against the edge of a shelf. "That wasn't supposed to happen."

Even with her blunt words, Paul still felt as though he was on a high. "It did." He fought to keep the elation from his voice. "It did happen."

"I know it did," Ava replied harshly, her words taking a 180; she side-stepped and brushed past him. Lowering herself onto the couch, her ankle was reverberating with throbs. "I don't need you telling me, I _know_."

She bent down, lifting the bottom of her jeans carefully and hissing in pain when it brushed past the tender skin of her ankle. Paul lingered by her side, taking the seat next to her; he reached over to help maneuver her leg onto the couch, but he should have expected her reaction.

"I got it," she said quietly, flinching away from him.

She realized that she had to scoot an inch closer to him, and she did so, stacking pillows at the other end of the couch and placing her ankle gently on top. Her back now faced him and when he got up, disappearing through the doorway, she leaned back and rested against the end of the couch he previously occupied.

After a minute, Ava thought she had run him off, the venom laced in her words being uncontrollable. She knew what she was doing was hurtful. But with her and Bella nearly dying earlier, Jacob getting seriously hurt, and now having to worry about her own injuries, Ava had a lot on her plate.

She certainly never pictured telling Paul how she felt by planting one on him without saying another word. Ava had always been a woman of action, but this may have been taking it a little far. But, was she really to blame? _Paul_ was the one that kissed her, all she did was…well, yank him towards her and…kiss him back. She frowned. _This really _is_ my fault._

When a crinkle was heard at the end of the couch, she looked up startled to see he was still here. He was holding the ice pack that she had brought from Billy's and discarded into the freezer.

"Thanks," she mumbled as he pressed it onto her ankle. She winced, the pressure causing minuscule twinges to spider up.

He couldn't control her pain, yet, he still frowned. "I'm sorry."

"It's not you," Ava reassured lamely, an underlying double meaning to her words. Before she lost her resolve, she added quickly, "I'm the one who's sorry. About earlier, I didn't mean to yell."

Paul didn't meet her face, tracing the patterns of her socks.

"And the…the kiss, or…" When she trailed off, he felt himself tense up, preparing himself for her rejection if her past reaction was any indication.

"It was, you know, _nice_…" He darted his eyes to hers momentarily, searching for any sign she was only saying what he wanted to hear. When he didn't find any, he looked back down at the ice pack.

"I don't know what else to say," Ava admitted after his silence. She was quickly realizing that she wasn't any good at this. Paul only kept the pack pressed against her ankle, not offering any sort of solution.

"Paul," she said slowly, keeping her eyebrows raised until he looked at her. "I'm trying to talk to you."

"Well, what do you want _me_ to say?" He asked, trying to keep the frustration from his voice.

"Something." Ava shifted her leg to rest on the coffee table as a silent invite for him to sit down. He took the hint, lowering himself and handing her the ice pack.

"Put this on." Was his demand, and Ava grabbed the cool pack from his hands, pressing it to her ankle again.

"Something _else_," Ava said lightly.

He leaned his head back. "Like what?"

"I don't know." She frowned, racking her brain. "How you feel about it? You haven't said anything."

That was the final statement that shook him with complete annoyance, he stood up quickly, staring down at Ava's form. With his boiled over temper, he nearly yelled, "you already know how I feel about you, what am I supposed to say?" He brandished a frustrated hand out towards her. "Sorry? I'm _sorry_, Ava, I'm _so_ fucking sorry for kissing you."

Ava stared at him wide-eyed. She opened her mouth, prepared to ask why he was so angry but she couldn't say anything.

But just as quickly as the irritation enveloped him, it went, and he stalked around the coffee table. Ava watched his actions, his words still sinking in.

"So," she began slowly. "Where are we supposed to go from here?"

"You tell me." Paul chuckled bitterly, stopping and watching her expectantly. "_You're_ the one calling the shots here, Ava, so, _you_ tell _me_. Where do we go?"

Ignoring his sarcastic tone, Ava heard the truth behind his words. Lifting her shoulders, she said quietly, "I mean, I-I _do_ want to. I want to try, but-"

"But what?" He cut off, fully prepared to go through any_thing _or any_one_ in the way.

"I don't know," Ava groaned, this conversation stretching far too long. "I don't know, I'm not any good at this." As she finished, she raised her injured hand in the space between the two of them again. "I'm just going to mess things up, we work better as friends."

"How can you know that when we haven't even tried?"

"I just do," she insisted. "Okay, what do you honestly think is going to happen? Because _I_ know. We're going to get together, break up because of something stupid, and go our separate ways, _that's_ what's going to happen."

"Says who?" Paul snapped.

"_Me_," Ava shot back. "Realistically, the odds of us lasting is next to nothing." She knew what she was going to say next was probably a step too far, but she continued, "we're not Sam and Emily, Paul."

A wounded expression crossed his face, the pain clear in his eyes. The look cleared, replaced with a determined glaze and he pressed on with a scoff to hide the crack in his voice. "Well, I've always liked a challenge."

Ava didn't say anything in response, avoiding looking at him when he took his seat back at her side. She pressed the pack harder against her numb ankle to concentrate on anything else.

"I'm serious, Ava," he continued, not caring that he was begging at this point. He had a chance. He had a _chance_. "Let's just try, _fuck_ the odds."

His statement settled in the air and she bit her lip harshly, tasting the small tang of metal that seeped from the small mark. Of course Ava wanted to say yes. She wanted to throw caution to the wind and do something for _herself_ for once.

Before her bravery faded, she angled her head towards him. He was right. She couldn't say that they'd be together five years from now, or even five days. All she knew was that it felt like fate every time Paul touched or even _looked_ at her and she was tired of trying to deny it. She was tired of following everyone else's lead. Charlie, Bella, her parents...

Her heart thumped wildly in her chest and she lifted her eyes, uttering the words that would nearly cause his world to stop.

"Okay."

* * *

Favorite and Follow! And if you have a second, leave a review and tell me what you think!

e.o.c.n. AaaAAHHHH. Yeah. They're together now, which means way more Paul/Ava. But _anywho_, we still have a handful of chapters to get into with no rhyme or reason other than to fill in the gap between Eclipse and Breaking Dawn.

_Incorrect Quote(s) of the Chapter: this has a lot, i'm sorry lol_

**Ava**: Paul Lahote? Nah, he's such a loser [trips] [hundreds of photos of Paul spill out of her jacket] w-what a fuckign asshole, I-these aren't mine. I'm just [gathering them up frantically, sweating] listen, I just, listen, fuck [thousands more pictures scatter across the floor] shit-fuck-I'm just holding them for a friend, just listen-

.+.

**Ava:** I would rather stand here and bleed out than talk about my feelings.  
.+.

**Paul:** [laying upside down on the couch]  
**Paul:** Can you just fucking like me already? Like, I'm cool, I'm pretty. I have beautiful eyebrows.

.+.

**Ava:** Sometimes, I'll start a sentence and I don't even know where it's going. I just hope I find it along the way.

.+.

**Ava:** So, like…do you want to go out with me?  
**Paul:** Let me think about it and consider it carefully.  
_[3 minutes later]  
_**Paul:** I've thought about it and yes, I _will_ marry you.

.+.

**Ava**: Don't say another word.  
**Paul**: ...Fergalicious.  
**Ava**: I said no words!  
**Paul**: Oh, I see how it is. Two weeks ago when we were playing Scrabble it wasn't a word, but now it is. How convenient for you.

.+.

**Bella: **You seem really chill about all this.  
**Ava:** Yeah, I suppose I am.  
_Ava, internally: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA_

_.+._

**Ava:** It's difficult to have him around all the time.  
**Ava:** He won't leave me alone.  
**Paul:** I made you tea.  
**Ava, drinking the tea:** I didn't ask for tea.

.+.

**Paul:** Truth of dare?  
**Ava:** Truth.  
**Paul**: Do you like me?  
**Ava:** Dare.  
**Paul:** I dare you to tell me-  
**Ava:** Never have I ever-  
**Paul:** THAT'S NOT THE GAME.

.+.

**Ava:** Of course, I care about you all equally.  
**Jacob:** We're done, the battle is over.  
**Ava:** Omg, is Paul okay?

.+.

**Sam:** Seth, what do you think are your best qualities?  
**Seth:** My mom thinks I'm handsome, I have a cute face, and sometimes I cry because I love my pack.


End file.
